The Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Training Department (SEAFDEC/TD), in collaboration with the Fishing Ground Development and Rehabilitation Group of Phuket Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center, Department of Fisheries (DOF), Thailand, conducted a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Integrated Assessment in Koh Panyee, Mueang District, Phang Nga Province, from 2 to 6 November 2026. Supported by the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Phase II (BOBLME II) Project, the activity aimed to strengthen GESI integration into the community’s Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) plan.
Using the BOBLME II GESI Integration Toolkit, the five-day assessment involved participatory exercises, focus group discussions, and interviews with women and men engaged in fisheries and related livelihoods. The assessment explored gender roles and responsibilities, access to resources and benefits, participation, and decision-making in fisheries management, habitat restoration, waste management, livelihood diversification, and climate resilience. Preliminary findings highlighted the community’s dependence on fisheries and tourism, with women and men performing different roles and responsibilities and having varying access to resources and livelihood opportunities. The findings supported the development of practical GESI-responsive recommendations and indicators to promote inclusive participation, equitable benefit-sharing, and sustainable community-based fisheries management.
