Gender and fisheries video selected as a SSHRC Storytelling Challenge finalist
We are excited to share that Nayadeth Arriagada, a PhD student in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, has been selected as a finalist in the 2026 SSHRC Storytellers Challenge.
The annual competition, organized by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), invites postsecondary students from across the country to demonstrate how their research is making a difference in our lives and communities in up to three minutes or 300 words.
Nayadeth’s video challenges common assumptions about gender and small-scale fisheries. We often hear that women are more vulnerable to environmental change and that fisheries are mostly a man’s job. Her work shows that both of these ideas are incomplete.
Around the world, small-scale fisheries support the livelihoods of more than 120 million people. They provide food, income and cultural identity for coastal communities. Women make up roughly half of all fisheries-related activities, working as fishers, processors, traders, organizers and leaders. Yet, much of this work is informal or underpaid, which means it is often overlooked in data, policy and decision-making.
“When women are invisible in the data, they become invisible in governance,” Nayadeth explains in her video.
Her research asks how men and women experience vulnerability in fisheries, and how communities can move toward what she calls viability. This concept goes beyond income alone. It includes environmental conditions, gender roles, access to resources, social networks and the ability to make decisions about one’s life. Nayadeth’s fieldwork focuses on Chiloé Island in southern Chile, where coastal livelihoods are deeply connected to small-scale fisheries and shaped by the growth of the salmon industry. Using surveys, interviews and participatory workshops, she documents how people experience risk, opportunity and change.
Her findings reveal important differences. Men are often more affected by environmental pressures and the rising costs of fishing. Women are more affected by health challenges, caregiving responsibilities and the unequal divisions of domestic labour. At the same time, women demonstrate strong adaptive strategies by organizing collectively, seeking support and negotiating with institutions. Men, in contrast, are more likely to respond individually, such as using their savings or selling equipment. By moving beyond stereotypes, Nayadeth’s research highlights that vulnerability is not simply about gender, rather it is shaped by power, access and recognition. Making women’s contributions visible can lead to more equitable and resilient fisheries for communities and ecosystems alike.
"I am very honoured and happy to be selected as a SSHRC storyteller 20 finalist", she says. "This is a great opportunity to learn how to communicate science and the impact of my research in a more engaging and simpler form beyond the conceptual nuances of academia".
The 2026 challenge received a record number of submissions, making this recognition especially significant. Finalists receive a cash prize and will present their work at the Storytellers Showcase during the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Nayadeth Arriagada is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists. Nayadeth, we wish you the best as you prepare for the national showcase! The Showcase will be held at the Science Writers and Communicators of Canada conference on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Montréal, Quebec.
