Orientation cum Workshop on Mainstreaming Gender among Fishing Community in Bitung

About This Event

Rationale

·     Bitung is home to multiple tuna canneries that purchase fish landed at Bitung (including from pole-and-line and handline operators) as well as import frozen product from the Philippines and Papua New Guinea (PNG).  Some canneries operate their own purse seine fleet, largely fishing in the western Pacific Ocean around PNG. (Source: https://www.seafdec-oceanspartnership.org/learning-sites-indonesia/ 

·     Primary tuna processing operations in Bitung focus on: (1) fresh or frozen tuna products, primarily for high-value international markets (Japan/Northern Asia, Europe, and the United States.); or (2) canned products for domestic and regional export markets. In 2015, most of Indonesia’s export products were either prepared/preserved (43%) or frozen (41%). (Source: https://www.seafdec-oceanspartnership.org/learning-sites-indonesia/ 

·    The flourishing tuna or seafood industry can be accounted to the men who have been tirelessly catching fish or hauling their catch to the market. But, women are an equally important part of the trade. Women are opening their way to fishing industry, working alongside men to provide for their communities and contribute to sustainable fisheries.  

·    But there is the need to understand and appreciate the gap with regard to women’s involvement in the fishing industry in Bitung. 

·    Raising gender awareness among women in the fishing community of Bitung is one step towards making them informed and involved in contributing to the livelihood of their family and community, and economic development of Bitung in general.