Salt worker, caretaker and fisherwoman

On a largely barren piece of land in Puttalam, Susila Kanthi’s house borders an extensive salt production factory on one side and vast lagoon on the other. Every Saturday evening, Kanthi gathers her net and oar and sets out to fish on the Puttalam lagoon. She returns home only the next morning, hauling her catch from the night.

In the fishing trade for nearly 27 years, Kanthi, now 57 years old, is still one of the few active fisherwomen working in one of Sri Lanka’s biggest fishing districts. As it requires a lot of time away from the home and family, fishing was traditionally viewed as a man’s job.

“I am the only woman engaged in the fishing industry in Palaviya. There are other women who can drive boats, but they do not go fishing,” says Kanthi.

Kanthi first became involved in fishing with her husband. He was an amputee and required support to fish.

“I used to go fishing when my husband was alive and was trained by him, so I continued the trade.”

When her husband passed away five years ago, Kanthi became the main breadwinner of her family, supporting her bedridden mother, daughter, granddaughter, grandson and son-in-law, who is also a fisherman but whose income alone can’t sustain the family.