Women fishworkers and their role in the inshore fishing areas of Sundarban

About 1215 women fishworkers are engaged in the winter inshore dry fish and shrimp harvesting sectors of Sagar, Bakkhali, Frasergunj and Mousuni areas and about 10-25% of the total population in these areas are engaged in cap turing tiger prawn seeds in near home environment as one of the main source s of income. The consequences of the increasing exploitation of capture fis heries in the long term could be devastating to both the environment and th e survival of coastal population of Sundarban. Women fishworkers in additio n to their diversified activities in relation to fishing can best be utilis ed in resisting the environmental hazards.