In general, the methodology applied in this study has been successful. The questionnaires, daily report sheets, group discussions and observations, generated most of the required data. However, women needed daily assistance to fill the daily report sheets which were meant to be distributed and collected weekly. This was mainly due to the fact that most of the women were not able to read and write. Since women's expenses are usually small and occur throughout the day, assistance was also needed to make sure that daily reports were complete. Furthermore, seasonality made a year's extrapolation on the data collected for one month impossible Although the calculated profitability rates seem to be promising, figures during the high season are not known. One month study has also been too short to explain issues that came up during the study, for example, the gap between women's net revenue and their expenses
Another important outcome of the study is the financial attractiveness of women's activities. Depending on the combination of activities, women's net revenues are high and the high profitability rates from low season data indicate huge profits during the high season. Margins are especially high for women who are involved in fishing Contrary to women who are involved in processing and marketing only, they hardly spend money on buying fish which keeps variable costs relatively low. However, women who are not involved in fishing apply several strategies to guarantee fish supply under conditions that suit them.
Costs, earnings, and expenditure structures show that women's activities and responsibilities go far beyond providing household support or supplementing the household budget. Sixty-eight (68) percent of the women in the sample do not receive any contribution from their husbands. This means that most of them bear full financial responsibility for household needs. More than 50% of the women started fishing and fishing-related activities independent from others, either with personal savings or with a loan. Although most of them started with a small sum of money, their activities have now grown into relatively large, profitable enterprises. Women's involvement in financing and investing in fishing activities shows that they accumulate capital and indicates that they control a significant part of fishing activities in Ogheye.
Furthermore, the study revealed that socio-professional organization, varying from different types of arrangements with fishermen, societies (meeting groups, age groups, elitist groups) to osusu groups and "thrift collectors", plays an important role in women's social and economic activities In fact, it is through socio-professional organization that women are able to manage their revenues and fulfil their financial obligations Arrangements with fishermen guarantee fish supply and the continuity of women's activities. They also permit women to buy fish on credit and repay after smoking and selling the product. This means that women do not require huge amounts of cash to buy fish. They only think of payment when the money is there Their position is even more advantageous when they own whole or part of the equipment and materials used by the fisherman. In that case they receive their share of the catch without any initial payment.
Membership of societies helps women to put aside money for unexpected events or incidental expenses, such as marriage, death, and birth The savings serve as insurance. In addition, a society provides its members with professional assistance, for example, by issuing them loans. Finally, they have an important social function. Apart from the contribution element, the monthly society meetings are always cheered up with food, drinks and some kind of entertainment. Members take these monthly meetings as an opportunity to catch up on each other's activities, social and professional. Osusu groups or "thrift collectors" enable women to save money either for personal use or to buy fishing equipment or materials for fishermen. Due to household obligations and claims from relatives or friends, "surplus" money is easily spent. Apart from mobilizing savings, both osusu groups and "thrift collectors" offer loans to regular contributors, and that helps the women to replenish their disposable cash account.
