24th All India Congress of Zoology, 23rd to 25th Nov. 2013,University of Kalyc Impact of Gender Participation in Fisheries sector of West Bengal Ms. Ambalika Ghosh ', Dr. B. K. Mahapatra* ‘Department of Fisheries, Govt. of West Bengal, 31, G.N. Block, Sector V, Salt Lake,Kolkata-91 E mail: ambalikag@gmail.com "Central Institute of Fisheries Education, 31, G.N. Block, Sector V, Salt Lake ,Kolkata-91 Key Words- Gender participation, empowerment, multidimensional social process, livelihood of communities. Abstract Women not only constitute half of the world's population but also sway the growth of the remaining half but they have little access to productive resources and negligible control over family income. This discrimination is the result of gender bias, which forms an inherent part of the global society. Women in fishing communities do not enjoy a status of that of men. They play a subordinate role to their husband and by the culture norms they are expected to abide by decisions made by male member. The basic goal for women in fisheries development is to make them equal partners and productive and self-reliant participants in the process of improving their own and their families nutritional and living standards and to enable them to realize their full potential as human beings in their own right and as members of their family and community. Fisherwomen must be given the opportunity to acquire appropriate knowledge, develop adequate skills and appropriate technologies enabling them to make the greatest possible economic and social contribution. . In west Bengal, women are involved in fisheries sector directly or indirectly. Their participation has been identified in different sectors of culture, capture fisheries and other allied activities. Besides some traditional roles like net making , small ornamental fish rearing and feeding they are now also engaged in new age fisheries activities like value addition, export and marketing etc. But still there are some stumbling blocks in their roads. The journey of this study started in the search of those hidden blocks obstructing the accountability of the efforts of the women in fisheries sector in this state. The ultimate reach will be the identification of impacts of gender participation in different sectors in fisheries. It is expected that the study will help to realize their potential for which society as a whole will be benefited.