How Can Research and Data Drive Sustainable and Gender-Inclusive Fishing: The case of Natur'ELLES in Senegal

This case study describes the Natur'ELLES project in Senegal, which uses research, data, and educational initiatives to promote sustainable fishing in mangrove forests and increase the participation of women in natural resource management.

• The fishing sector in Senegal faces several sustainability challenges, including overfishing, a lack of access to necessary equipment, and non-compliance with standards and regulations that impact species reproduction. These issues have resulted in a scarcity of fish in recent years. The Natur'ELLES project addresses these by promoting sustainable practices, such as adjusting net dimensions and avoiding fishing during biological rest periods.
• Women in Senegal are active across the fishing value chain—including fish processing, oyster collection, and sales—but are under-represented in high-level decision-making regarding natural resources due to discriminatory practices and limited access to education. Natur'ELLES aims to bridge this gap through a feminist leadership program and a "classe d'alphabetisation" educational program for women without formal education to build the literacy skills required for data production and analysis.
• Natur'ELLES utilizes data and collaborative platforms to empower women and improve mangrove conservation. In partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the project supports "mangrove platforms" for stakeholder dialogue. Additionally, a Google Earth Engine Mangrove Mapping Methodology (GEM) app is being introduced to allow communities, specifically women, to collect data and monitor the health of mangrove ecosystems.
• The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) supports the project via its Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) analysis tool. This methodology uses system dynamics to analyze environmental, social, economic, and governance (ESG) risks and benefits of infrastructure projects, such as comparing the benefits of planting mangroves (carbon sequestration, tsunami protection, and fish habitat) against concrete storm barriers to guide sustainable investment.

APA

Sambou,, O. (2025). How Can Research and Data Drive Sustainable and Gender-Inclusive Fishing: The case of Natur'ELLES in Senegal. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/explainer/sustainable-fisheries-gender-equality-senegal-naturelles

Chicago

Sambou,, Ousmane. How Can Research and Data Drive Sustainable and Gender-Inclusive Fishing: The case of Natur'ELLES in Senegal. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/explainer/sustainable-fisheries-gender-equality-senegal-naturelles.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sambou, |first1=Ousmane |title=How Can Research and Data Drive Sustainable and Gender-Inclusive Fishing: The case of Natur'ELLES in Senegal |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=9 April 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/explainer/sustainable-fisheries-gender-equality-senegal-naturelles |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sambou2025how, author = {Sambou,, Ousmane}, title = {{How Can Research and Data Drive Sustainable and Gender-Inclusive Fishing: The case of Natur'ELLES in Senegal}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/explainer/sustainable-fisheries-gender-equality-senegal-naturelles}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }