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1443R03D Annex V - IRELAND

March 2002 MacAlister Elliott and Partners Ltd page 1

ANNEX V COUNTRY STUDIES: IRELAND

1 NATIONAL CONTEXT

1.1 OVERALL CONTEXT1.2 DATA SOURCES

2 KEY DATA COLLECTED

2.1 EMPLOYMENT2.2 LEGISLATION2.3 ORGANISATION2.4 EDUCATION & TRAINING2.5 SOCIO-CULTURAL STATUS2.6 ECONOMIC STATUS

3 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 KEY FINDINGS3.2 CONCLUSIONS

Appendix 1: BibliographyAppendix 2: People interviewedAppendix 3: Relevant legislation



1 NATIONAL CONTEXT

1.1 OVERALL CONTEXT

There is a general perception that the role women play in the fisheries sector in Ireland isstill determined to a large extent by tradition. This defines the role of the woman ashomemaker, as support for the fisherman, as labour in fish processing, but not as a fisherin her own right. The impact of tradition is at its greatest in the fish-catching sector; andis smallest in aquaculture. Regional difference have become evident in the course of thebrief study, particularly in relation to the informal/unpaid role of wives as the bookkeeper/money holder in the family unit, in the fish catching sector. The role that womenplay in the processing sector, i.e. that of a source of labour, has generally beenmaintained, albeit in the context of the general decline in numbers employed within thissector.

FishingDifferent regions of Ireland exhibit slightly different roles for women. In the more ruraland isolated parts of the country, women are more likely to be found playing a part in thephysical side of fish catching, although often in the context of a family business. The lackof an alternative labour source in these locations forces the local society to overcomenatural sensibilities in terms of established roles and has enabled some women (still veryfew) to put out to sea. However the more usual role, that of informal/unpaid book keeper,fish salesperson, whilst it has diminished in the more professional segments of theindustry, still very much plays an integral part in maintenance of the social fabric insmall, close-knit fishing communities.

Fish ProcessingTradition has dictated the role of women in fish processing both in Ireland as elsewherein Europe. In communities dependent on a fishery, often the men would mostly be at seatrying to catch the fish. This left the women ashore the arduous role of landing, selling,processing and packing the catch off to market.

AquacultureAquaculture in Ireland is dominated by the production of finfish, and to a large degree bythe farming of the Atlantic salmon. Other finfish species, such as rainbow trout, are alsofarmed, and culture of species like the common mussel, pacific oyster, native oyster, seaurchin, scallop and clam also play important regional roles. Work on fish farms tends tobe physically demanding, uncomfortable and arduous. Often farms are located in areas ofrural isolation, where social traditions play an important and often restrictive role. Somefarms are located out to sea (the offshore farms pioneered in Ireland) making theirservicing as dangerous as fishing. Increasingly though, more women are making a markin aquaculture in Ireland. The female role in this sector is less bound up in the malemyths and traditions that surround fish catching. As the aquaculture sector in Ireland aselsewhere has developed outside the cultural traditions of the catching sector, the barriersto entry for women are lower.



1.2 DATA SOURCES

Data for this study was collated from two main source types, Key reports and keyrespondents. Key reports are mainly the socio-economic studies and market surveyreports, as well as a general literature review. Key respondents were chosen on the basisof high profile in the industry, personal knowledge and accessibility. Key respondentswere initially telephoned and then sent a brief telephone questionnaire and recalled at alater date.

The study focused on three Fisheries Dependent Areas (FDAs) in Ireland, as resourceswere not considered sufficient to carry out more in-depth social investigation. Whilstmany of the views and opinions expressed originated from key respondents within theFDAs, much was not specific to the individual area, and came from their widerunderstanding of the subject.



2 KEY DATA COLLECTED

2.1 EMPLOYMENT

2.1.1 Overview

Table 1 provides a summary of employment in the Irish fisheries sector by status andFTEs (Full Time Equivalents of part-time work). Figure 1 shows the regionaldistribution of fishing employment by NUTS 3 Regions and at the national level. Thesources of employment data for each sub-sector are described in detail below, however itshould be noted that a report for the Department of the Marine in 1997 highlighted thefact that reliable data on total employment in the sector is difficult to obtain, and there issome doubt about its reliability.

The report estimates total sector employment (fleet, processing, aquaculture andancillary) in 1992 as 15,470, with fishing fleet employment being 7,700 people. The 1991and 1996 Censuses of Population give numbers of ‘Fishing and related workers’ as 3,033persons and 2,892 people respectively, which indicates that there is some discrepancybetween numbers of fishermen presented for 1997. However, it should be noted that the1996 Census of Population is carried out during the night, and hence fishermen at sea onthat night were not counted.

Table 1 Total employment in the whole fisheries sector (1997)Total employmentSegment Full-time

(number)Part-time(number) (total) (FTE)

Fleet 4,790 1,484 6,274 5,494Processing 2,111 2,809 4,920 3,262Aquaculture 556 1,642 2,198 1,092Ancillary 1,400 600 2,000 1,700TOTAL 8,857 6,535 15,392 11,548Source: Adapted From BIM Seafood Industry Agenda 2000-2006, March 1999 Using DataSupplied Separately By BIM For Employment In The Processing And Culture Sectors At ANUTS 4 Breakdown And By Categories Of Hours Worked.

As a consequence of the investment made in the Irish fisheries sector, output is growing.Increased access to fishing opportunities by the Irish fleet, after a re-evaluation ofresource entitlement under the Common Fisheries Policy, has increased the diversity oflandings. Whilst many vessels in the Irish Sea have suffered restrictions on opportunitiesdue to stock decline, there is much new and renewed interest in deepwater and migratoryspecies, partially as a result of the whitefish fleet renewal programme. There is hugeinvestment already in the aquaculture sector, and more is planned, with the aim ofdeveloping 4,000 new sustainable jobs. The current position is summarised in the tablebelow.



Table 2: Gender differentiated employment in the fisheries sectorData Women Men TotalFish capture 0% 100% 5,494

Aquaculture 30% 70% 1,092

Fish Processing 45% 55% 3,262

Ancillary/admin etc N/A N/A 1,700

Total N/A N/A 11,548(Source: Regional socio-economic studies on employment and the dependency on fishing – Ireland, MEPLtd. November 1999. Figures in full time equivalents (FTE)* % Best BIM estimates

� Dublin

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"All CaptureFisheries"

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Figure 1 Map of Ireland showing employment by sub-sector (NUTS 3, 1997)

The development of the Irish economy has encouraged many young workers to move intoothers forms of employment that have more structure, less antisocial conditions andconform more to the social norms. Also, the increasingly restrictive management regimeputs many young potential participants off entering the fisheries sector. The prospects for



advancement are increasingly limited, and the entry costs can be very high - for example,the massive investment required to buy a vessel and licence.

2.1.2 Employment by sub-sectorData on employment in the processing and aquaculture sectors is available annually fromthe CSO and BIM. Employment in the catching sector is not published annually butrecent estimates have been undertaken by BIM as part of the work on the recent ‘SeafoodIndustry Agenda 2000-2006’ and ‘Irish Inshore Fisheries Sector’ studies published inMarch and June (1999) respectively. The ‘Seafood Industry Agenda 2000-2006’ studycalculates that there is one full time equivalent (FTE) employee for every two peopleemployed in the fleet. Similarly, three people employed in processing equate to one FTE(in processing), whilst two employees in aquaculture equate to one FTE and twoemployees in ancillary industries equate to one FTE in this sector.

Marine capture fisheriesA total of 6,274 fishermen are active in the sector equating to 5,494 FTEs according toBIM. Approximately 76% of total numbers employed in capture fisheries are full-timeworkers, whilst the remaining part-time workers are also active in other sectors, havingsupplementary employment in agriculture, tourism, etc. The majority of fishermen withother income generating activities fish from small coastal inshore vessels which have lowprofitability, partly due to declining stocks of shellfish, itself caused by poormanagement. It is estimated that 100% of fishermen are male in Ireland, and there is notradition or examples of women being employed at sea.

Table 3 Regional breakdown of employment in capture fishing (NUTS 3 & 4, 97)Region EmploymentNUTS 3 NUTS 4 (County / Borough) (FTE)Border Cavan 4Border Donegal 920Border Louth 180Border Sligo 72Dublin Dublin / all Dublin areas 384Mid East Kildare 6Mid East Meath 4Mid East Wicklow 110Mid West Clare 54Mid West Limerick / Limerick Borough 2South East Waterford / Waterford Borough 205South East Wexford 418South West Cork / Cork Borough 1,134South West Kerry 714West Galway / Galway Borough 910West Mayo 377Total 5,494

Source: BIM Seafood Industry Agenda 2000-2006, March 1999, regional breakdown madespecially available.



2.1.3 Inshore fisheriesIt has been estimated that there are approximately 3,700 fishermen employed in theinshore sector of which equates to approximately 2,700 FTEs, supporting a total of11,800 dependants (survey estimate of 3.21 dependants per fisherman employed in theinshore sector). Employment in this sector of the industry correlates with socialdeprivation in Ireland. Employment is seasonal, particularly focusing on the summermonths when crustacean potting and salmon drift netting are best.

The median age in all sectors is between 30 and 35 years of age. Crew employed in theinshore sector tend to be of similar age to those in the offshore sector. However, themedian age of skippers in the inshore fleet is nearly 40 whereas in the offshore fleet it isless than 35 years. Approximately 16% of skippers in the inshore fleet are over 55 yearsold whilst 3.5% of skippers in the offshore fleet are of this age. Around 67% of inshorefishermen surveyed felt that they have no form of alternative employment whilst a muchsmaller proportion indicated that they could find employment in construction and touristsectors. It was calculated that between 23% and 42% of total income needs are dependenton sources other than fishing in this sector, i.e. other employment or social welfare.

2.1.4 ProcessingThe majority of the jobs in the processing sector in Ireland are part-time (57%). There area large number of people (4,920) employed in fish processing, this being the equivalentof 3,261 full time jobs (see table 4). County Donegal (Border) is the most importantregion for fish processing, with about 32% of all processing employment (in FTE terms).BIM have informally estimated that between 40-45% of all fish processing workers arefemale but a regional breakdown was not available.



Table 4: Employment in the processing sector by region (NUTS 3 & 4, 1997)Region EmploymentNUTS 3 NUTS 4 (County / Borough) (FTE) (total)Border Donegal 1,053 1,696Border Louth 124 139Border Sligo 62 62Dublin Dublin / all Dublin areas 353 472Mid East Wicklow 9 14Mid West Clare 19 22Mid West Limerick / Limerick Borough 100 100South East Waterford / Waterford Borough 122 222South East Wexford 366 536South West Cork / Cork Borough 356 656South West Kerry 280 451West Galway / Galway Borough 202 324West Mayo 115 126West Roscommon 100 100Total 3,261 4,920Source: BIM Seafood Industry Agenda 2000-2006, March 1999 and BIM direct.Note: FTE employment estimates have been made based upon detailed NUTS 4 data recording numbers employed byactivity per year (number of weeks employed per year). See Excel Table 12 in Appendix 1 for details.

The pelagic processing sector offers full and part time employment, especially in theNorth West, South East and West. However employment levels vary greatly, because ofthe wide seasonal variations in landings (see figure 2). Demersal processing is muchmore steady because of the more constant availability of raw materials. Processing ofaquaculture products is usually carried out at the farms as it involves very basicpacking/grading.

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Figure 2 Seasonality of landings by major fishery type (1997)



2.1.5 AquacultureApproximately 2,198 people in total are employed in the mariculture and freshwateraquaculture industries in Ireland of which 25% are full time workers, while 75% are parttime or seasonal workers. It has been calculated that there are around 1,092 FTE jobs inthe industry. BIM have informally estimated that 30% of aquaculture workers, at thenational level, are female. A regional breakdown is not available.

Table 5: Breakdown of mariculture & freshwater aquacultureemployment (NUTS 3, 1997)

Freshwater aquaculture MaricultureRegion(FTE) (Total) (FTE) (Total)

Border 329 443 40 54Dublin 0 0 0 0Mid-East 0 0 17 22Mid-West 35 77 3 5South-East 136 229 44 59South-West 399 756 22 32West 320 453 48 68Total 1,219 1,958 174 240

Source:BIMNote: NUTS 4 breakdown of employment by species is shown in Appendix 1: Excel Data Tables

2.1.6 Inland fisheriesThere are approximately 150 fishermen producing wild-caught eels in inland waters.Most inland fishing is recreational or tourism orientated, though.

2.2 LEGISLATION

The rights of Irish women employed in the fisheries sector are protected through theEmployment Equality Act 1998, which replaced earlier legislation (ie the AntiDiscrimination (Pay) Act 1974 and the Employment Equality Act 1977). The rights ofthe individual in society at large are protected by the Equal Status Act 2000. Section 15of the Employment Equity Act 1998 provides for positive action in the provision oftraining for women who are under-represented in a particular field. These rights areprotected through the upholding of this legislation, and the Equality Authority,established on the 18th October 1999, has this role in the Irish republic. The Irish Statealso has established maternity rights, and in general, the Government appears to havetaken EU law as being the principal paradigm for legislation now. Accordingly they haveincorporated as many EU directives as possible into the two wide ranging acts mentionedabove. The provisions in these two key acts are summarised below, and are described inmore detail in Appendix 3.



(i) The Employment Equality Act, 1998, inter alia prohibits gender-baseddiscrimination in the workplace on pay, training, promotion or workingconditions, as well as outlawing sexual harassment and defining processes forinvestigation and enforcement in the gender arena.

(ii) The Equal Status Act, 2000, reinforces the employment act to spread theprohibition of discrimination to social, socio-economic and commercialactivity at large within Ireland

There is a general belief that Ireland has gained in terms of equality and access toemployment by women as a result of membership of the European Union. The NationalWomen’s Council of Ireland was originally formed as the Council for the Status ofWomen in 1973. Historically the responsibility for gender equality has been within theoffice of the Prime Minister. However, for a short period (1995-1997) a Ministry ofEquality and Law Reform existed which took over this mandate. This ministry wasswallowed up and in 1997 became an equality section in the Department of Justice,Equality and Law Reform. There has been recent clear emphasis on positive action toimprove gender equality by the Irish Government, with a significant budget commitmentmade in 1999. Equality has also been firmly incorporated into Ireland’s NationalDevelopment Plan for the period 2001-2007.

The body that oversees observance of gender equality (amongst other forms ofinequality) - the Equality Authority (EA) - was established in Ireland on 18th October19991. This was set up as an independent body under the Employment Equality Act1998. The EA replaced the former Employment Equality Agency. They are responsiblefor ensuring that the Employment Equality Act (1998) and the Equal Status Act (2000)are effective in outlawing discrimination in employment, vocational training, advertising,collective agreements, the provision of goods and services and other opportunities opento the general public. There are nine distinct grounds on which discrimination isprohibited:

• gender;• marital status;• family status;• age;• disability;• race;• sexual orientation;• religious belief;• membership of the Traveller Community.

1 http://www.equality.ie/aboutus.shtml



2.3 ORGANISATION

2.3.1 UnionsFrom the information available, it seems that men and women belong to the same unions,where representation exists. In the public sector (for public servants) there is a strongelement of union representation amongst workers, particularly in the context of agreedpay scales. This has the positive effect of ensuring equal pay and working conditionswithin organisations. The International Transport Workers Federation (ITWF) has awomen’s and a fisheries section with some knowledge of the Irish fisheries sector. TheService, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) has a fisheries section,however this brief study has been unable to determine how many members activelyengaged in the fishery and in what capacity.

2.3.2 Trade AssociationsAs the numbers of women involved in the fisheries sector (outside of the processinglabour) is so small, representation of women in these organisations is perforce small.Where women are involved in fisheries, such as in the mussel fishery, they belong to thesame organisations as men.

2.3.3 Specialist women’s clubsThere is an organisation ‘Mna na mhara’ or Women of the Sea, which operates inIreland. The equivalent group in the UK, Women and the Sea, is an informal group, witha website, that details the historical and current role of women engaged in a range ofmarine activities, from pirate women of yesteryear through to current day female salvageoperators and on occasion, female fisheries officers. The awareness by key respondentsof this organisation was low, and so there was little feedback on its activities in Ireland.

2.3.4 Women’s positions in their organisationsWomen who play a role within trade associations and producer associations are givenequal respect to that of their male counterparts. There are, and have been in the past,some female heads of local fishermen’s organisations (the Lobster fishermen’sassociation on the west coast of Ireland, the South Eastern Fishermen’s co-operative),however the numbers who have attained the higher positions reflect the general levels ofgender imbalance in the overall sector.

2.3.5 Support facilitiesThere do not appear to be any dedicated support facilities available to women in thefisheries sector in Ireland. In some areas there has been discussion of provision of somefacilities, mobile crèches etc, that could work in conjunction with the mobile BIMtraining unit, thereby encouraging more women to participate in training activities.However as of yet, this has just been talk. In other sectors of the industry, again theevidence would suggest that either there is, as yet, insufficient critical mass (of women in



the sector) or interest to force industry operators to develop such resources. There is someflexibility within the working environment, particularly within the public sector, in termsof arranging childcare and caring for sick children, though.

2.4 EDUCATION & TRAINING

Women have an equal access to training resources within Ireland. There may be areaswhere women appear to be under represented in terms of training uptake, such as cagediver courses or farm boat helmsmen. However this is as a result of both the smallnumber of women within the industry and also the physical nature of a particularoccupation. By contrast, in other segments of the industry, such as in education andresearch, women predominate.

2.5 SOCIO-CULTURAL STATUS

Women’s traditional roles in the rural communities of the Irish Republic have beenmaintained to a degree. This is true from both the man’s and the woman’s perspectives.In fishing communities a number of factors deter women from active participation infishing, specifically:

• The extended periods spent away from the home,• The intimidating physical nature of the activity,• The lack of facilities on board vessels,• The way in which fellow women in a community (e.g. wives of male crew on-

board a vessel that has some female crew) would perceive a woman undertaking atraditionally male activity,

This reaction seems to be more related to social attitudes than to any religious doctrine.The working conditions are often uncomfortable at best, brutal at worse and sometimesdangerous. There is no great stability in the industry, because of the unreliability of theresource. Often the alternatives job opportunities are more attractive.

The situation is rather different in the aquaculture sector. As a vibrant and relativelyrecent industry in the Irish republic, the traditions associated with social behaviour arenot as deeply entrenched. Aquaculture in Ireland has benefited, and continues to benefit,2from large-scale inward investment by the Irish State and the European Commission.Evidence from respondents suggests that more women play active roles, not just in thedevelopment and management of the industry, but also in production. However there isstill a long way to go before there is equality. There are many powerful disincentives totaking up employment in any part of the industry for men, but more so for women. Thephysical nature of the job was mentioned by respondents, however whilst the work

2 BIM – Aquaculture management plan 2000-2006



undeniably requires an element of physical strength, increased mechanisation andimproved working practices on many farm sites, have reduced this ‘barrier’ to an extent.

The fish-processing sector is diverse in terms of location and species involved. There areprocessing facilities tied to the large operators of aquaculture farms, but in the main, fishprocessing in Ireland is concentrated in Killybegs. Although the port has a significantfleet of whitefish trawlers, only a portion of this catch is processed, with much directexport to European markets. The processing concentrates on the pelagic species forhuman consumption, mainly mackerel, sometimes herring and more recently bluewhiting. Although women play an important role as processing labour, men are in asignificant majority. There is also some shellfish processing in the west and on the eastcoast, and most fishing ports have some processing capacity.

With the Irish economy currently growing rapidly, there are alternative employmentopportunities in most sectors. In the light of this, it seems highly likely that a key reasonwhy women do not seem to participate fully in the fisheries sector is quite simply thatthey neither want nor need to.

2.5.1 Status of Fisheries-related Jobs

In the catching sector, particularly in the more isolated areas, until recently fishing wasgenerally perceived as an activity on a par with farming. This has started to change,partly due to the activities of Kevin McHugh, the owner of one of the largest fishingvessels in the world, the 144m Atlantic Dawn. Mr McHugh came originally from thesmall community of Achill Island, and has over the course of 30 years built his fishingempire from scratch. His profile and the press coverage of the vessel’s launch andpremier docking in Killybegs and Dublin has raised the image and status of those in thefishing community in Ireland significantly.

The catching industry also is part of the way through an extensive whitefish fleet renewalprogramme, part funded by Government/EU loans, part funded through private finance. Itis becoming the source of some pride for the Irish nation, after having been so long in thedoldrums. There is a much more positive view of the opportunities available within theindustry now, than say 5 years ago, although there is still some way to go. There aremany small ageing inshore vessels, mostly working from ports on the east coast, mostlytargeting the whelk fishery, that retain the traditional low status image.

Aquaculture has generally been seen in a much more positive light. The status of thosethat work in the sector is dependant on the type of employment, with a labourer on asalmon farm seen in very much the same way as a terrestrial farm hand. There has beensome negative publicity about aquaculture, particularly finfish cage farming, and this hasimpacted to an extent on the perception of society of aquaculture.

An informal survey of the socials status of fisheries occupations was made during thestudy, and the results of this are given below. This provides a “status map” of the sector,



so defining the likely interest of people in entering fisheries occupations, given freedomof choice.

Table 6: Social status of fisheries sector occupations

Activity Social category A or 1 B or 2 C1or 3 C2 or 4 D or 5

Fishing overall• Skipper at Sea • • • • • Crew at Sea • • • • • Support/admin • • Aquaculture overall• Stock Husbandry • • • Technical/lab • • • Management/marketing • • • Processing Overall• Foreman (factory floor) • • • Worker (factory floor) • • • Technical/lab • • Mgmt/Source/Mkts • • Admin/Management • •

2.5.2 Women in high, medium or low status jobs

Because the physical nature of fishing and aquaculture tends to exclude many womenfrom participating in the lower level activities, women tend to be better represented injobs that carry medium to high status. Women play a prominent role in management andpolicy agencies in Ireland, occupying senior positions. However, in the fish-processingsector, women occupy positions at all levels, from low-status factory floor shift workers,to supervisors and quality controllers, or sales and marketing staff. In some cases womenare managers or founders of processing companies. This is more so the case in theshellfish aquaculture sector than in pelagic and other finfish production.

2.6 ECONOMIC STATUS

Earnings/salary levels for those working within both fisheries and aquaculture segmentsstart at around the £I 20,000per annum, and rise to £I 35-40,000 for those in more seniorpositions. For those fortunate enough to be on a high achieving pelagic vessel (e.g.Killybegs-based vessels) earnings for the crew range between £I 50-150,000 a year andfor the skipper probably up to £I 300,000 - higher if the skippers/crew have any part ofthe ownership of the vessels.



Those on small inshore trawlers or static gear boats find themselves at the opposite end ofthe spectrum with some vessels struggling to achieve a profit (especially last year withthe price hike in fuel). For example the whelk boats on the east coast have a good day ifthey get 20 bags (45-50kgs/bag) a day fetching £I 25 a bag. These boats are mostlymanned by three (including skipper who is also likely to be the owner), probably working200-250 days per year. Consequently they gross only around £I 85,000 before costs,which is split between three – i.e. they each earn significantly less than £I 25,000 per year

In general, there does not appear to be much difference between men’s and women’searnings. Where there is a gender difference in remuneration for ostensibly identicalwork, this may be due to a lack of real parity between the positions, in spite of titles orappearances. This is the case for the aquaculture sector, according to anecdotal feedback.However, anecdotal evidence also suggests that there are gender-based earningdifferentials in the processing sector of around 20% (i.e. the discount in women’searnings in positions comparable to their male counterparts is 20%). That said, at themanagement/administration level typified by public servants (Irish Civil Servants), staffare on graded pay scales, and as such there are no gender differentials in these rates

Apart from in the processing sector then, there seems on the face of it to be equal pay forequal work. However the definition of what actually is equal work is often vague, and aman and a woman in ‘equal’ positions can still be paid differing amounts. Thus earningsparity is something of an illusion in many cases and the differentials found elsewhere inEurope apply to Ireland. No doubt this has a deterrent effect on women in the sector.

In the Irish aquaculture women do have a more prominent role, though, with somewomen becoming farm hands and farm managers. Perhaps this is the result of acombination of willing employee’s, labour shortages, a more modern and buoyantsociety. This, together with a stronger tradition of women playing a role on the land, hasperhaps all translated into a more equal role for women in aquaculture.



3 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 KEY FINDINGS

3.1.1 Diversification potential of women: Increased contribution and alternatives.

Women’s contribution to the sectorWomen occupy a range of positions across the sector. Whilst not being prominent infishing per se (although 3 women did qualify as skippers in the early 1990’s3), there arewomen who have played and continue to play prominent roles in the sector. There aresenior female public servants entrusted with the development and implementation offisheries and aquaculture policy (at the Department of the Marine & Natural Resourcesand at BIM). Women also head up large fish/shellfish production companies, and thereare female fish and shellfish wholesalers, prominent research scientists etc. However, thesector is still dominated by men, and often the women that attain these positions ofprominence are trailblazers for their sex.

Analysis of key constraints and opportunities in key FDAsThe fisheries sector in Ireland is subject to a contrasting set of constraints andopportunities. With some £I70 million allocated to the whitefish fleet renewalprogramme, and some £400 million set aside for further developments in the aquaculturesector, there are significant opportunities. Conversely all the FDAs and indeed the entireIrish fisheries sector, suffer from one major constraint to their development; the lack ofsuitably qualified, educated and trained labour. The booming economy and host ofalternative opportunities in the urban areas are out-competing the fisheries sector in thecontest for a highly limited and sought after labour resource.

Donegal and SligoThis area contains nationally important fish capture, fish processing and aquacultureindustries. Killybegs and Greencastle are both major ports, Killybegs in particular with itslarge modern fleet of pelagic vessels, and 20 or so large whitefish trawlers supplying thelocal processing sector and the export markets. This area has benefited from the whitefishfleet renewal programme, with several new vessels arriving in both Greencastle andKillybegs. Vessels from these two ports have also been engaged in fishing trials for deep-water species off the West Coast. If this fishery is fruitful, there is likely to be furtherpositive benefit for the processing sector. The aquaculture industry is also significantwith large quantities of fish and shellfish and seaweed farmed in the many shelteredcoastal and tidal inlets.

3 Report on Equal opportunities in the fisheries sector – DMNR, Ireland.



Galway and ClareAlthough the fishing sector is not of great importance, the port of Rosaveel is significant.Mainly a whitefish port, it has also benefited from the fleet renewal programme. A vesselfrom this port was also engaged in the exploratory fishing for deep-water species off thewestern seaboard. There is a strong and developing static gear fishery with some new andsecond-hand vivriere (live fish/mollusc transporting) boats supplying raw material to theshellfish processing industry, which is of regional importance. Galway is the major areafor salmon aquaculture in Ireland, and Connemara in the Gaeltacht, is one of the principlelocations for the revived seaweed cultivation sector.

Cork and KerryThere are several major fishing ports within this FDA. Castletownbere, Union Hall,Baltimore and Kinsale, all have to varying degrees numbers of whitefish vessels. Theoffshore bluefin tuna fishery is based in this FDA. There are some processing facilitiesdependant on these fisheries, but the largest processing component is related to theaquaculture production of shellfish and finfish in Bantry Bay, County Cork. One of onlytwo sea urchin hatcheries in Europe is located in Dunmanus Bay. Both Galway and CorkUniversities have renowned marine science departments, producing high calibregraduates to participate in the industry, many of them female.

The East CoastWhilst the East Coast is not as dependant on the fishing sector, there are prominentfisheries in some areas: e.g. the beam trawl fleet in Waterford and the mussel cultureindustry mainly in Wexford, but also Waterford and Strangford Lough in the north. Thereis also a fleet of smaller whitefish/shellfish vessels based along the east coast, in Howth,Bray, Wicklow and Wexford.

General needs: lack of labourThere is great demand for labour in all these areas. Often the physical nature of work inthe sector is a disincentive for prospective new entrants, when there are equally well orbetter-paid alternatives. Respondents based in the capital noted that the national socialissue of labour shortages is very evident on the East Coast as the pull of Dublin is thatmuch greater. As the road network on the East Coast, and throughout the whole of thecountry is improved, so the more outlying areas are expanding economically rapidly, tocope with the population overflow from the increasingly prohibitively expensive majorcities. As a result the building trade is operating at full capacity, with high earnings forthose willing to work hard. As the towns expand, so do their retail and industrialactivities, so drawing in more labour.

The rural areas are also undergoing large social changes, with a major impact upon theworkforce of these communities. Much of this change is generally positive, but theoverall effect is much higher demand for labour. As there is greater choice andopportunity for rural inhabitants (in rural employment, and if they are prepared to move,in urban employment), traditional rural activities such as fishing and farming are facingpotential decline



3.2 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

3.2.1 Prospects for improving women’s position: improving the sector’s value towomen

Women’s aspirationsDo women in Ireland want to be involved in the fisheries sector at this time? Given theimage that the industry has of being male dominated, and given that Ireland is goingthrough an economic boom, it would hardly be surprising if women didn’t want to takeup careers in the sector. However there are increasing numbers who do. This is thensomewhat unexpected but does merit a positive response, and this is the main focus forthis section.

There are potential opportunities for both women and men in the fisheries sector becauseneed for labour resulting from Ireland’s modernisation and economic expansion.Working in the sector has some advantages: hours can be flexible, worked outside theoffice environment. Frequently there are lifestyle benefits, because workers are able tolive in areas of natural beauty, with a more relaxed pace of life, avoiding tiresomecommuting etc. Furthermore, the rural environment is often a safer place to live and raisechildren. Thus there are reasons to opt for this less well-remunerated sector.

For women currently involved at the management and policy level, there is still theimplied assumption that they should be occupy the ‘softer’ positions, albeit at seniorlevel. This means that the perception is that women should take on areas such aspersonnel, marketing and administration. However as more women begin to occupytougher career-orientated positions in management and policy, so this attitudinal barrier isbegins to disappear. However, there clearly is a need for the numbers women employedin all parts of the fisheries sector to reach a “critical mass”, as without this the generalperception of wider society will always be that it is a male-orientated occupation. Theperceived barrier of the physical nature of the work, the requirement of physical strengthis more about cultural perceptions of society at large, i.e. what society deems to be thecorrect roles for men and women.

So how can society overcome this barrier of perception? Firstly, there is a need for widerrelevant education and training in order to encourage more women to participate in thefisheries sector. It is evident that BIM are committed to equal opportunities in theprimary sector, as shown by the provision of appropriate training facilities and courses attraining centres in Greencastle in County Donegal and Casteltownbere in County Cork.That said, brochures and other material promoting the sector tend to predominatelycontain images that reinforce the social stereotype of man and women’s roles, i.e. imagesof men as skippers, deckhands and engineers; women as operatives in hygiene &production. Clearly there is requirement for a general public awareness campaign toupdate this now inappropriate image of the sector. Alongside this, more egalitariancareers advice should be offered to schoolchildren who are interested in a career in the



industry- i.e. advice that does not impose the wider, now outdated, views of society of theroles men and women occupy in the sector.

However, there is little point in challenging the inequalities in the structure of theindustry if general attitudes of society remain the same. The fisheries sector has alwaysbeen divided in terms of specific gender roles. During the course of this brief study, it hasbecome apparent that many male participants are still not aware or familiar with genderissues and difficulties experienced by women in the sector. Until all participants becomeknowledgeable of these inherent restrictions within the system, the sector is unlikely toundergo any great change in the gender balance.

3.2.2 Prospects for improving women’s positions in non-FDAs

From a fisheries point of view, the Border, Mid West and South West of Ireland are mostimportant regions. However there are smaller pockets of dependence upon fisheriesaround the Irish coast. Examples are the fishing ports of Kilmore Quay, Dunmore East,Arklow and Howth, Some fishing vessels are based in Dun Laoghaire, Bray andWicklow, and fish and shellfish processing occurs in Howth, Dublin and Wexford.Aquaculture is also important: e.g. bottom mussel growers in Wexford, Waterford andStrangford Lough, and eel farms in county Wicklow. The east coast fishery mostlyconcentrates on fishing the Irish Sea, and is currently going through a hard time as manystocks are at historical lows, leaving some fisheries dependent upon low value inshoreactivities like whelk production.

The mussel growers of Wexford produce in excess of 50% of the Irish total production ofbottom cultured product. The status of those engaged in fisheries activities in these Non-FDA’s is likely lower than elsewhere, and the industry is becoming more marginalized ascompetition for coastal land intensifies. The current demand for new homes in Ireland isvery high, and any community on the East Coast within commuting distance of Dublin isexperiencing a rise in population. The image of the fishing industry (smell, elderlyrusting vessels etc) does little to enamour itself to these more urban and sophisticated in-comers.

This is hardly likely to generate much interest in sector by women in the non-FDAs.Even so, there apparently is some interest and this meets the same resistance describedabove in the FDAs. Thus right across the sector, in the non-FDAs and FDAs alike, thereis a need to change the way in which women view the industry and the way in which theindustry views women. Increased education and access to training, backed up by somepublic awareness campaigning on the subject, are some positive approaches to helpingovercome the social barriers to participation in cases where women do desire to enter thefisheries sector.



Appendix 1: Bibliography

Department of the Marine and Natural Resources (DOMNR). (1998) “Report on EqualOpportunities in the Fisheries Sector.” Questionnaire based study produced for DMNRby Dept. of Geography, Trinity College, University of Dublin. 1998.

“Training for the Fisheries Industry” (1997). Dublin: European Social Fund EvaluationUnit. Feb 1997.

“Women’s Training Provision” (1994). Dublin: European Social Fund Evaluation Unit.April 1994.

European Commission Directorate General XIV (Fisheries) “Regional Socio-economicStudies on Employment and the Level of Dependency on Fishing: Ireland” (1999) Lot 15.Final Report Nov 1999, produced by MacAlister Elliott & Partners.

Regional socio-economic studies on employment and the level of dependency on fishing.Lot 20 Scotland and Northern Ireland. Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) December1999BIM – Aquaculture management plan 2000-2006

BIM, “BIM Seafood Industry Agenda 2000-2006 Realising the Potential of the IrishSeafood Industry” (March 1999)

BIM “Irish Inshore Fisheries Sector: Review & Recommendations” (May 1999)

Donegal Fish Merchants Association “Survey of Fish Processing Sector in Donegal,South-west” (March 1998)

Meredith, D. “Strategic Importance of the Fishing sector to the Sustainable Developmentof Coastal and Rural Communities in Ireland. Rossaveal Pilot Case Study. (Inpreparation)

EC DGXIV (Fisheries) “Summary of structural interventions for fisheries in Ireland:FIFG and Community Initiative PESCA” (10/06/97) EUROPA Web-site

Department of the Marine (DoMNR) “Making the most of Ireland's Marine and NaturalResources - Strategy Statement 1998-2000” (1998)Employment Equality Act (1991)

Equal Status Act (2000)

Equality Authority web-site - http://www.equality.ie/aboutus.shtml



Appendix 2: People interviewed

Helen Cooper, BIM (Bord Iascaigh Mhara) the Irish Sea Fisheries Board

Mary Hanna at South West Shellfish Cooperative.

Mary Kelly at the Department of the Marine & Natural resources (DoMNR)

The Killybegs co-operative,

The Irish Fishermen’s Organization and the

The Irish Fish Producers Organization



Appendix 3: Legislation relevant to women in fisheries

The two principle acts that define women rights in the workplace and beyond are theEmployment Equality Act and the Equal Status Act. The more relevant aspects of bothare described below. Other legislation that effects women as employees (but has nogender connotations) is also listed.

1 The Employment Equality Act (1998)

The Employment Equality Act (1998) describes itself in its Long Title and Introductionas: “An act to make further provision for the promotion of equality between employedpersons;

• to make further provision with respect to discrimination in, and in connectionwith, employment, vocational training and membership of certain bodies;

• to make further provision in connection with Council Directive No. 75/117/EECon the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the applicationof the principle of equal pay for men and women and Council Directive no.76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for menand women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion,and working conditions;

• to make further provision with respect to harassment in employment and in theworkplace;

• to change the name and constitution of the Employment Equality Agency andprovide for the administration by that body of various matters pertaining to thisact;

• to establish procedures for the investigation and remedying of various mattersarising under this act;

• to repeal the anti-discrimination (pay) act, 1974, and the employment equality act,1977, and to provide for related matters. [18th June, 1998] be it enacted by theOireachtas as follows:” (here follows Act).

2 The Equal Status Act (2000)

The Equal Status Act (2000) describes itself in its Long Title and Introduction as:

“An act to promote equality and prohibit types of discrimination, harassment andrelated behaviour in connection with the provision of services, property and otheropportunities to which the public generally or a section of the public has access,to provide for investigating and remedying certain discrimination and otherunlawful activities, to provide for the administration by the Equality Authority ofvarious matters pertaining to this act, to amend the Employment Equality Act,



1998, in relation there to and in certain other respects and to provide for relatedmatters.”

3 Other legislationA number of other Acts and Regulations are of importance to Irish fish workers, be theymale or female:

• National Minimum Wage Act 2000

• European Communities (Minimum Safety And Health Requirements ForImproved Medical Treatment On Board Vessels) Regulations 1997.

• Parental Leave Act 1998

• Organisation Of Working Time Act 1997

• Organisation Of Working Time (Code Of Practice On Sunday Working In TheRetail Trade And Related Matters) (Declaration) Order 1998

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