Yanett Castro

She was born in Navolato, Sinaloa, and the third generation of clam farmers. Since she was a young girl she has been related to the fisheries activity, although she became involved more actively in the promotion of a more sustainable and equitable fishery activity, after participating in the Community Strengthening Program for the Lagoon System in Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón, “Fortachones”, in 2016. Since then, Yanett has actively promoted women participation in fisheries through the formation of cooperatives. In 2007 she formed Almejeras de Santa Cruz, the first women cooperative in Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón, and later on she encouraged other women in the same lagoon system to form their cooperatives, and among all of them, they obtained clam fishery permits in order to vindicate their work and to have greater participation in decisions that are related to fisheries. To Yanett, the key to achieve more sustainable fisheries lies in the empowerment of fisher women and men so that together, they can find the best solutions for the sector.