Kayar, on the west coast of Senegal, is an artisanal fishing community with livelihoods in canoe fishing, artisanal processing of fish products and fish retail. The processing side of the sector — gutting, smoking, and filling cans — is mostly occupied by women, who make up 85% of the processing industry.

However, these women are vulnerable to precarious livelihoods as overfishing is causing dwindling fish supplies. Many do not have alternative sources of income nor the facilities to invest in seeking new fishing grounds or methods. Access to fishing operations on the high seas is rarely available to women, who are not welcome on the boats. Neither can many stay away from the family home for long periods as they have children and other domestic responsibilities. A more sustainable and efficient method of fishing is therefore integral to bolstering the community’s struggling economy and stabilizing the women’s financial security.