Coastal Conversations 3/22/19

Voices From the Maine Fishermen’s Forum 2019: Women in Fisheries

Producer/Host: Natalie Springuel

When you picture someone hauling up lobster traps on the wind swept Atlantic Ocean, chances are good that you are picturing a man. Fishing is one of those industries that is still mostly dominated by men. But that’s changing. The number of women involved in fishing is on the rise, and there are more and more women involved in many related occupations too, occupations that support coastal communities and a thriving fishing industry.

Five women involved in various aspect of the fishing industry are interviewed, including a lobsterman, a lobster trap builder, a fisheries biologist, and a pair of occupational therapists working to improve the odds of fishermen using lifejackets in this notoriously dangerous industry.

These interviews are part of a larger collection called Voices of the Maine Fishermen’s Forum.

Guests:
Freda McKie, lobsterman, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Sonya Corbett, lobster trap builder, Sea Rose Trap Company, South Portland, Maine
Sarah Madronal, fisheries biologist for Downeast Salmon Federation, Alewife Harvesters of Maine, and the Nature Conservancy
Jessica Echard and Rebecca Weil, occupational therapists, Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety