WOMEN AT THE HELM IN SCOTTISH FISHING INDUSTRY

Women at the helm in Scottish fishing industry. Follow Fish Focus’ feature on Women in the Seafood Industry, to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.

It is traditionally regarded as a male-dominated industry, but women have risen to the top in the Scottish fishing industry.

The chief executive of the country’s largest fishing body, the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) which represents more than 400 vessels, since 2019 has been Elspeth Macdonald, formerly deputy chief executive of Food Standards Scotland.

President of the SFF is Hannah Fennell, who is the head of the Orkney Fisheries Association (OFA), and vice-president is Sheila Keith, executive officer at Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA).

Equally, while the statistics show that the vast majority of skippers and crew are male, the workforce demographic is starting to change.

Erin Mackenzie

Erin Mackenzie, who featured as part of the SFF’s successful Pride in the Seas campaign, is a deckhand on board the prawn boat Caralisa out of Mallaig in the west Highlands.

Elspeth says:

“I’ve been asked many times what it’s like being a woman leader in what is a very male-dominated industry and I can say that I have been treated with nothing but respect since I took on the role.

“I have not felt any gender-based bias in going about the job. While I don’t hail from a fishing family, I grew up in a small fishing town on the west coast and have always had maritime ‘roots’ – I think these have helped me find my way.”

For her part Erin, believes that fishing is in her blood and loves being out at sea. She worries about the lack of young recruits joining the fleet, perhaps put off by the physical workload and lack of time off but believes that neither of these things should deter young women like herself from a career on board.

Main image: Elspeth Macdonald