Author : Mutia, Maria Theresa M.; Magistrado, Myleen L.; Fermaran, Michelle Joy L.; Muyot, Myla C.

Summary : Lake Taal is a source of livelihood and provides for more than 2,000 sustenance fisherfolk. Fish production of the open water fisheries has dwindled over the years with the continuous decline of fish catch, which can be attributed to unsustainable fishing practices such as illegal fishing, overfishing, pollution, and the expansion of aquaculture activities in the lake. Women, as a sector, constitute almost one half of the economically active population in Lake Taal. Men and women performed different roles at different stages of fish capture or fish culture. In terms of their economic and social value, the participation of women in pre- and post-production activities are significant. This study assessed the level of gender participation in the fisheries sector of Lake Taal. Specifically, it determined the roles of men and women in the different fishing activities and described the fisherfolk’s socioeconomic profile. A total of 407 randomly selected respondents were interviewed in 11 barangays from eight municipalities in Lake Taal, represented by 54% male and 46% female, consisting of 214 fishers, 76 fish vendors, four processors, 51 helpers, and 62 fish cage or fish pond owners, managers, and caretakers. Profiling of the socioeconomic status was done to assess families’ living conditions and constructed primary data based on household’s present roles, activities, responsibilities, access to and control over resources, problems, and constraints of men and women. The roles of both men and women in fisheries were categorized into three sectors: capture, post-harvest, and aquaculture.