Women's Work

Although deep-sea fishing has traditionally been a man's occupation, women also go to sea. Women have always played important roles in fisheries as business managers, marketers, and fish processors.

Polar Inuit women sewing kayak cover
Northwest Greenland, 1971
Women help prepare gear.
photo © Fred Bruemmer

Selling the fresh catch
Hong Kong
Women sell fish the world over.
photo © Wolfgang Kaehler

Women fishing
le aux Nattes, Madagascar
Women have traditionally fished near shore.
photo © Wolfgang Kaehler

Letter from Lorelei Stevens, Associate Editor, Commercial Fisheries News, June 11, 1993,

describing how women accept the traditional term "fishermen"


Women enter men's traditional domain, fishing the open ocean
photo © s Women's Maritime Association

Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan

gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428

Judith Gradwohl, Smithsonian Institution (Curator/Ocean Planet)