Rural women participation in pre and post-harvest operations of stake net (estuarine set bag) along Aroor fishing village, Alappuzha, Kerala

Abstract

Women play a major role in stake net operations in Kerala. Stake net is a conical bag net set in streams and tidal waters. This is perhaps one of the fisheries in India having ownership for women also. Stationary bag nets and stakes were received by daughters as dowry. But nowadays inheritance is mainly through male lineage and passes on from father to son/daughter. This study attempts to categorise the activity of women into pre and post- harvest operations in stake net fishery along Aroorfishing village of Alappuzha district. Under the pre-harvest activities, women are engaged in preservative treatment of net by using indigenous technical knowledge. They prepare a decoction of tamarind seed/bark of ‘Kalasu’ / ‘Panachikka’ etc, and immerse the net for 24 h, which they believe will improve the strength and longevity of netting materials. This treatment is repeated every two to three months. Another major activity is the involvement of women, post harvest, in sorting of fish which includes removal of debris, species and size wise segregation; drying and marketing of dried as well as fresh fish. Although women play a pivotal role in stake net fisheries, their participation is not recognized or it remains imperceptible and considered to have no real value.