The assessment was requested by the Government of Tuvalu in response to an identified need for more information on the participation of Tuvaluan women in the fisheries sector. The role of women in providing alternative sources of seafood for the family when the weather was too rough for the men to go fishing was more important in the past than now. Women fish only occasionally now, for entertainment rather than food production. Women, however are involved in much of the processing and marketing of the fish the men catch. Men are involved in spearfishing, netting, handlining and trolling using small motor boats or outrigger canoes.
Some women directly market the men's catch from handcarts in town.
On the outer islands fish is sold from the homes of fishermen or to Naficot on those islands with operational Naficot fishing centres. Dried fish is produced on a few of the outer islands and sold in Funafuti, through Naficot. Fisheries development has focussed on projects that support the activities of fishermen rather than women. This has been due to the focus on income-generating, commercial fisheries development which has mainly involved men. One of the main restrictions on fisheries activities for the women is the traditional division of labour between men and women.