India, March 7 -- From a distance, women, clad in their buibuis (Muslim women's garb) some with their children strapped on their back, could be seen either sorting sardines that have already been dried and ready for the market or stoking the fires as they boil the fish freshly brought from the ocean.

Jimbo beach in Kwale County along the Kenyan Coast has, over the years, been synonymous with sardines that are sold across the region. It is a beehive of activity, bringing together women and men undertaking different chores. For the men, though, it is mainly the heavy lifting, carrying baskets and pails full of fish to the boiling points along the beach.

Although fishing is mainly done by men, it is the women who control the trade. About 9...