257
13 Gender in Galician Shell-Fisheries: Transforming for Governability
transformation has been overwhelming. This constitutes one of the main elements
of governability (Jentoft 2007 ) . The mariscadoras have changed their status,
become professionalized, and begun to pay social security and receive social
bene fi ts. The changes have transformed the system-to-be-governed, streamlining
the mariscadoras’ group, creating new institutional arrangements and professionalizing its activity. Perhaps the most salient feature of this selective process
was the requirement to make social security contributions; as a result, many parttime participants abandoned the shore. This event helped to clarify the boundaries of the group of mariscadoras , providing them with a shared interest to
preserve their resources. They could thus improve productivity and income by
planning when to gather and by selling under the best market conditions.
However, the system’s exclusion of some traditional shore users was not easily
accepted during the implementation process.
These transformations (summarized in Table 13.1 ) were linked to the dynamics of the governing system. Cofradías developed new roles in the process,
assuming the management of the new licensing system, and integrating new
actors with increased power: mariscadoras and their organizations. As it was
occasionally met with considerable resistance, the transformation was not easy,
but the role of regional government and certain managers was decisive. By
encouraging the transformation, they emphasized the need to improve the capacity of women to manage their own challenges. Training was one of the key factors in the process, encouraging previously uneducated women to think of
themselves as capable of organizing and managing concerns. To a degree, it
involved a change of image; an internal change in self-esteem that made women
believe in their political abilities and their chance to succeed as managers of
organizations. The strong emphasis placed by regional government on increasing
mariscadoras’ capacity for co-management through training and stakeholder or
women empowerment enhanced the general governability of the sector. Some
general lessons can be learnt from this process regarding governability.
Inclusiveness constitutes a general principle for co-governance (Kooiman et al.
2005b ) . In this case, including women and gender considerations in institutional
building processes proved a key element for improving the previous situation.
When women constitute a particularly relevant user group, as in this case, the
recognition of their activity and of the legitimacy of their voice implies their
integration in the governing institutions. Introducing a gender lens in governance
also contributes to improved equity, as the differential access to information,
resources, or power has, in many cases, withheld women from participating in
decisions that directly affected them. These three elements: legitimacy, inclusiveness and equity (second-order governance principles) constitute key aspects
for the gender and governability perspective (Bavinck et al. 2005 ) . In this speci fi c
case, mariscadoras overcame a situation of institutional and public marginalization, and gained, through their own efforts and the support of the government, a
space in the institutions that manage the resources on which they depend.
13 Gender in Galician Shell-Fisheries: Transforming for Governability
transformation has been overwhelming. This constitutes one of the main elements
of governability (Jentoft 2007 ) . The mariscadoras have changed their status,
become professionalized, and begun to pay social security and receive social
bene fi ts. The changes have transformed the system-to-be-governed, streamlining
the mariscadoras’ group, creating new institutional arrangements and professionalizing its activity. Perhaps the most salient feature of this selective process
was the requirement to make social security contributions; as a result, many parttime participants abandoned the shore. This event helped to clarify the boundaries of the group of mariscadoras , providing them with a shared interest to
preserve their resources. They could thus improve productivity and income by
planning when to gather and by selling under the best market conditions.
However, the system’s exclusion of some traditional shore users was not easily
accepted during the implementation process.
These transformations (summarized in Table 13.1 ) were linked to the dynamics of the governing system. Cofradías developed new roles in the process,
assuming the management of the new licensing system, and integrating new
actors with increased power: mariscadoras and their organizations. As it was
occasionally met with considerable resistance, the transformation was not easy,
but the role of regional government and certain managers was decisive. By
encouraging the transformation, they emphasized the need to improve the capacity of women to manage their own challenges. Training was one of the key factors in the process, encouraging previously uneducated women to think of
themselves as capable of organizing and managing concerns. To a degree, it
involved a change of image; an internal change in self-esteem that made women
believe in their political abilities and their chance to succeed as managers of
organizations. The strong emphasis placed by regional government on increasing
mariscadoras’ capacity for co-management through training and stakeholder or
women empowerment enhanced the general governability of the sector. Some
general lessons can be learnt from this process regarding governability.
Inclusiveness constitutes a general principle for co-governance (Kooiman et al.
2005b ) . In this case, including women and gender considerations in institutional
building processes proved a key element for improving the previous situation.
When women constitute a particularly relevant user group, as in this case, the
recognition of their activity and of the legitimacy of their voice implies their
integration in the governing institutions. Introducing a gender lens in governance
also contributes to improved equity, as the differential access to information,
resources, or power has, in many cases, withheld women from participating in
decisions that directly affected them. These three elements: legitimacy, inclusiveness and equity (second-order governance principles) constitute key aspects
for the gender and governability perspective (Bavinck et al. 2005 ) . In this speci fi c
case, mariscadoras overcame a situation of institutional and public marginalization, and gained, through their own efforts and the support of the government, a
space in the institutions that manage the resources on which they depend.