Not one of the lads: Women´s fight for credibility in the fishing industry

Abstract

Much has been written on the position of women within economic life and on gender equality within various professions. This article is based on research that looks at the experience of women who act as board members for Icelandic seafood companies. The research indicates that, in general, they are content with their positions within the profession, even though the seafood industry is considered to be a very male oriented environment. Nine women were interviewed—all of whom have a seat on the board of a seafood company—in order to shed light on their work environment and how they see themselves within the profession. A qualitative approach was taken and the interviews were copied and analyzed according to thematic coding. The results support certain of the authors’ initial suspicions and indicate that the seafood industry has a strong sense of history and tradition which may be difficult but not at all impossible to subvert. Women are creating a space for themselves within the profession and do not experience negative attitudes from the other sex overall. Even if finding your way into the profession can take some time, they feel that their voices are heard and their ideas are considered. Gender-bound stereotypes are very prevalent within the seafood industry and traditionally men have gotten more respect than women for their work within the profession.