At the national level, fisherwomen from coasts, seas, rivers, wetlands and other ecosystems are not recognized, valued or encouraged in a positive way that would strengthen their actions towards biodiversity conservation and restoration. They also lack access to participation in policymaking, especially in the national agenda. Fisherwomen have provided important inputs and efforts in proposing sustainable management plans that incorporate their traditional knowledge. However, the implementation of most of these plans is lacking, as in the case of Chomes mollusk-gathering women. Moreover, Costa Rica’s national development agenda focuses on blue growth (blue economy), which threatens food sovereignty, culture, and sustainable livelihood of the women of the mangroves by promoting large-scale aquaculture developments.

Much still needs to be done in encouraging restoration efforts and improving working conditions in women’s sustainable use of their biological resources in their territories.

This project will provide vitality to CoopeMolusChomes R.L’s efforts in the last 15 years on the conservation and recovery of the mangrove ecosystem and the improved well-being of women and girls in the coastal and marine community. Most of these initiatives are in the management plan prepared with women mollusk gatherers’ traditional knowledge and will. The restoration processes proposed by women have defined no-take areas where mollusk juveniles live, the adequate size of the mollusk for commercial use, and the protection of mangroves from trash and unsustainable mangrove practices by people outside the community.

From a national perspective, this project will strengthen the gender equity approach in the Responsible Fishing Marine Areas and Marine Territories of Life Network, projecting new practices, and opening new spaces for meeting and learning. In addition, this case study from Costa Rica can also be presented at the international level. It will demonstrate the importance and the vital role of women in biodiversity conservation and restoration, and can be creatively adapted to other contexts.