The women in fisheries programme was designed to assess the needs and status of women in fishing communities with regard to their livelihood security, food and nutrition, and community development. This field study evaluates the impacts of the past interventions made by the Bay of Bengal Programme and other agencies and also determines the level of empowerment at the grassroots. Over 30 villages were visited across Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Orrisa, and West Bengal. Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs) were conducted with women in the fisheries sector. Alternative livelihood strategies were explored and recorded to pave the way for meaningful future interventions by BOBP-IGO. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were found to be catalysts in transforming the lives of fisheries through viable micro-enterprise development.