Speaker Effect of Climate Shocks on Gender in Fishery Value Chains: A Case of Sri Lanka

Suggested Bibliographic Reference: Challenging New Frontiers in the Global Seafood Sector: Proceedings of the Eighteenth Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, July 11-15, 2016. Compiled by Stefani J. Evers and Ann L. Shriver. International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET), Corvallis, 2016.Proceedings of the Eighteenth Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade, held July 11-15, 2016 at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Center (AECC), Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.Modern fisheries and aquaculture value chains are diverse, often complex and dynamic, with men and women undertaking different and changing roles depending on culture, concerning resource access and control, mobility, type of technology involved, the extent of commercialisation, and the product involved (De Silva, 2011). Female roles in Sri Lankan fisheries are always outside the boats and nets but inside processing factories of which men govern every step of the value chain. We focused to recognise how men and women are differently vulnerable to and able to cope with climate shocks. Access, activity and control profiles of men and women in fishery value chains were diverse unrecognized and vulnerability levels of women hinder the progress of adaptation efforts. Mixed methods approach applied to 3 key value chains, small-scale, Tuna and prawns which considered as economically and socially important to the country. Fiscal multiplier, marginal propensity to consume (MPC) and marginal propensity to savings (MPS) were used as key indicators to measure the vulnerability of men and women in fishery value chains, from fishing ground to plate. Production node which men govern highly vulnerable to climate shocks, cyclones, droughts and floods and resulting losses of catch quantity and quality. Heaps of economic, social and environmental issues generated which ultimately passes to outside the boat women. Poor or zero catches directly affects the MPC as well as MSC. Multiplier effect move to upstream nodes, processing, marketing and consumption nodes with increasing trend