Artisanal fishing and social invisibility

An analysis based on the emblematic case of women fishermen at the São Thomé lighthouse in the Campos dos Goytacazes basin

Abstract

Historically, in Brazilian legislation, artisanal fishing has faced serious issues around its applicability, however, after years of experiencing a smokescreen, Law n. 11,959/2009, which, in fact, brought dubiousness in the interpretation by failing to consecrate the pre-harvest and post-harvest activity of fish, giving rise to the understanding that women who work in such phases would be an “activity to support the fishing”, this understanding has serious repercussions on the granting of closed season insurance by fisherwomen. In this way, the present work aims to explore the invisibility of fishing women through the reports of fisherwomen from the Farol de São Thomé artisanal fishing community in the Municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes together with the PESCARTE meetings. In the community in question, the mass fisherwomen cannot access the federal closed season insurance, being awarded a closed season granted by the municipal power without many guarantees and with subjective criteria, which causes legal uncertainty and reflexes in their lives. For the elaboration of the present study, a qualitative methodology was adopted, through bibliographic review and document analysis, as well as reports of experience had in the meetings lived with Pescarte. The research reveals that, due to the Government's negligence in implementing effective policies in favor of the fishing community, women are in a situation of flagrant violation of human dignity and access to basic rights.