Resumo Participação social qualifica a tomada de decisão, e, embora seja considerada um direito civil em diversas democracias, ainda é um desafio. O artigo apresenta evidências e discute mudanças na participação social de uma comunidade costeira no sudeste do Brasil (Baía do Araçá), resultante de uma pesquisa-ação participativa. Durante três anos, desenvolveu-se um processo de mobilização social, diagnóstico e planejamento participativos, que produziu um plano de ações. Evidências do aumento da participação social dos stakeholders foram: (1) construção de confiança entre os participantes; (2) aumento do conhecimento de características socioecológicas da Baía do Araçá; (3) reconhecimento das diferentes perspectivas sobre a baía; (4) entendimento sobre processos e instituições de gestão. Esse processo levou à criação de um grupo de gestão local, que tem o potencial de implementar o plano de desenvolvimento sustentável.

Abstract Social participation enriches decision-making and is considered a civil right in many democratic countries, despite remaining a challenge. This paper presents evidence and discusses the evolution of social participation in the Araçá Bay (Southeastern Brazil), as a result of participatory action-research. Over three years, a process of social mobilization and participatory environmental assessment and planning engaged local stakeholders and resulted in a sustainable development plan. Enhanced social participation was evidenced by: (1) building trust among participants; (2) increasing knowledge of social-ecological features of Araçá Bay; (3) acknowledging different perspectives and interests about the bay; and (4) improving the understanding of management dynamics and institutions. The process led to the emergence of a local stewarded group that has the potential to foster the implementation of the sustainable development plan.

Resumen Participación social califica la toma de decisiones, y aunque se considera un derecho civil en muchas democracias, sigue siendo un desafío. El artículo presenta evidencias y discute cambios en la participación social de una comunidad costera en Brasil (Bahía de Araçá), como resultado de una investigación de acción-participativa. Durante tres años, se desarrolló un proceso de movilización social, diagnóstico y planificación participativa, que produjo un plan de acción. La evidencia de una mayor participación social de los interesados fue: (1) generar confianza entre participantes; (2) mayor conocimiento de las características socioecológicas de la bahía; (3) reconocimiento de las diferentes perspectivas en la bahía; (4) comprensión de los procesos e instituciones de gestión. Este proceso ha llevado a la creación de un grupo local de gestión, que tiene el potencial de implementar el plan de desarrollo sostenible.

Abstract The role of women in the fisheries sector is largely underestimated and underreported. Although women are a fundamental part of the seafood supply chain in Brazil, fisheries management is gender-biased; sectoral programs and policies fail to recognize, support, and guarantee fisherwomen legal and labor rights. Brazilian fisherwomen have been very active in claiming their rights and recognition in the fisheries sector; however, public policies are lagging, and so are the studies that subsidize them. Within the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and 2030 Agenda, it is critical to analyze the interactions between SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 5 (Gender equality) to discuss the gender dimensions underpinning fisheries (un)sustainability. We performed a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of gender-oriented studies in marine fisheries in Brazil. We identified 19 studies, published up to December 2020, focused on artisanal fisheries. The publications show that women are present in fisheries and are fundamental subjects to maintaining the activity and continuity of this livelihood. However, fisherwomen remain invisible. Their work is underreported, underpaid, and undervalued, which jeopardizes the sustainability of artisanal marine fisheries. Considering the knowledge gaps to be addressed during the Ocean Decade, we recommend that researchers and politicians work to: make "hidden workforce" of women visible, embrace interdisciplinarity, set research priorities, fill the data gap, and subsidize public policies. During the next few years, it is critical to enable and settle monitoring and assessment programs that provide open access to data, information, and technologies for the predictability, the sustainable harvesting of the ocean, and the correct design of gender-sensitive fisheries and aquaculture policies.