This paper fills an important gap towards adaptive management of small-scale fisheries by analyzing the gender dimension of fish trade in Zanzibar, Tanzania. We hypothesize that gender-based differences are present in the fish value chain and to test the hypothesis interviews were performed to analyze: (i) markets, customers, and mobility, (ii) material and economic resources, (iii) traded fish species, (iv) contacts and organizations, and (v) perceptions and experiences. Additionally, management documents were analyzed to examine the degree to which gender is considered. Results show that women traders had less access to social and economic resources, profitable markets, and high-value fish, which resulted in lower income. These gender inequalities are linked, among others, to women’s reproductive roles such as childcare and household responsibilities. Formal fisheries management was found to be gender insensitive, showing how a crucial feedback element of adaptive management is missing in Zanzibar’s management system, i.e., knowledge about key actors, their needs and challenges.

Livelihood initiatives are common within marine protected areas (MPAs) aiming for poverty alleviation or higher income opportunities. However, results can be mixed in reality, as well as change over time. Furthermore, who benefits is a key consideration, as results can vary based on inequalities, including gender. Here, the monetary outcomes of different livelihood strategies were investigated across three MPA regions in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Using a quantitative approach, the results show that livelihoods have shifted in a six-year period, with livelihood strategies differing in poverty incidence and income. Livelihood initiatives, namely seaweed farming and tourism, did not provide significantly higher monetary returns compared to long-standing livelihoods, such as fisheries. Seaweed farming showed income stability but a high poverty incidence predominantly within women-headed households. During the study period, men primarily remained in fisheries, whilst women shifted to small-scale businesses and fisheries, largely exiting seaweed farming. This underscores a need for adaptive, gender sensitive management within fast changing coastal contexts.

Human interactions with the environment are critical for ecological integrity and long-term sustainability. Within this context, men’s roles are particularly significant in relation to the ocean, as they have historically dominated maritime activities including fisheries, trade, construction, travel, and seafaring. Achieving equitable fisheries management thus requires a more systematic understanding of how gender constructs shape practices in specific settings. Yet, the dynamics of men and masculinities remain insufficiently theorized, underscoring the need for more robust analytical frameworks. This viewpoint article argues that engaging directly with masculinities is essential for improving fisheries management and advancing ocean sustainability. The analysis builds on Hultman’s (2017) and Hultman and Pulé’s (2018) typology of industrial/breadwinner, ecomodern, and ecological masculinities, and explores this framework to small-scale fisheries on Unguja Island (Zanzibar), Tanzania. The findings indicate that masculinities in Zanzibar are closely associated with the fishing gear employed. Two distinct forms were identified. “Soft masculinity”, linked to basket-traps and handlines, is characterized by ecological knowledge, strong historical continuity, legality, slower modes of practice, and sustainability. In contrast, “hard masculinity”, associated with drag nets and spearfishing, reflects limited ecological knowledge, shallow historical roots, illegality, rapid extraction, and unsustainability. Taken together, these findings reveal how fishing gear and constructions of masculinity are deeply interconnected, and how these interrelations in turn shape ecological outcomes in the marine environment. The viewpoint therefore contributes a practical model for continued inquiry into masculinities—one that encourages the adoption of more inclusive and ecologically grounded ways of engaging with the ocean.