"What is not visible doesn’t exist"
Around the world, many fish-workers - both at sea and ashore are women. In the UK women who fish aren't invisible - they barley exist - though there are plans to actively promote women as new entrants in Cornwall and the South West. They are represented more evidently in shore work - Newlyn's very own Elaine Lorys is the UK's first Master Fishmonger for instance and much was made in the media of her success.
Globally, “One in every two seafood workers is a woman, yet women are over-represented in lowest paid and lowest valued positions, and very few at leadership positions… Women are essential contributors to this important food industry, but they remain invisible, including to policy makers. There is a need to increase awareness about their role in this industry and to recognise the value they bring.”
This is because what is not visible doesn’t exist that in March 2017 MATIS in cooperation with WSI launched a video competition inviting men and women to tell us the story of women in the Seafood industry, to bring attention to gaps and challenges experienced by Women in Seafood, to cast light on positive initiatives.
More information can be found here on the International Association for Women in the Seafood Industry.
First prize Women of the Arousa Sea, (Spain)
Second prize Oyster farming in Wadatar (India).
Third prize Truchas arapa, or The Aquaculture women of Lake Arapa (Peru)
WSI Prize of Excellence 2019 Leadership des femmes transformatrices au Sénégal (Senegal):
WSI Prize of Excellence 2019 Women with tradition (Peru)
Special WSI mention to Mujeres a bordo (Spain)
There were many more entries to the competition - all of which can be seen here:
