Despite women comprising nearly half of the overall workforce, they represent just over one in ten commercial fishers in the U.S., a stark imbalance that highlights the urgent need for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive fishing industry worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, women represented only 12.4% of the total workforce in the U.S. commercial fishing industry, compared to 47.6% in the general U.S. labor force
- Globally, female participation in small-scale fisheries stands at 11% for capture fishing but rises to 50% in post-harvest processing, per FAO 2023 data
- In Alaska's salmon fishery, female deckhands increased from 5% in 2015 to 8.2% in 2022, showing slow progress in hands-on roles
- Black or African American individuals comprise 4.2% of U.S. commercial fishers, versus 13.6% national average, NOAA 2022
- Hispanic/Latino workers in U.S. seafood processing are 22.1%, but only 8.7% in harvesting, BLS 2023
- Indigenous peoples represent 15% of Canada's Pacific fishery workforce, DFO 2022
- Female fishers earn 28% less than males on average in U.S. commercial fleets, BLS 2023 adjusted data
- Racial wage gap shows Black fishers earning 15% below white counterparts in processing, NOAA 2022
- In Canada, Indigenous fishers receive 20% fewer benefits packages, DFO equity audit 2023
- 65% of U.S. fishing companies have DEI training programs since 2020, NOAA survey
- Canada launched 12 indigenous inclusion scholarships for fisheries in 2023, DFO
- EU's BlueSkills project trained 5,000 diverse fishers by 2022, EC report
- 72% of diverse hires report higher retention after inclusion training, NOAA 2023 survey
- Companies with DEI policies saw 15% increase in female retention in fisheries, World Bank 2022
- U.S. fisheries with equity programs report 20% fewer discrimination claims, EEOC 2023
The fishing industry remains male-dominated with persistent gender and racial pay gaps worldwide.
Equity Wages Benefits
1Female fishers earn 28% less than males on average in U.S. commercial fleets, BLS 2023 adjusted data
Verified2Racial wage gap shows Black fishers earning 15% below white counterparts in processing, NOAA 2022
Verified3In Canada, Indigenous fishers receive 20% fewer benefits packages, DFO equity audit 2023
Verified4EU migrant fishers have 35% lower hourly wages, Eurofound 2022
Directional5Australia reports 12% pay disparity for women in aquaculture, ABARES 2023
Single source6Hispanic workers in U.S. Gulf fisheries earn 18% less for similar roles, NMFS 2022
Verified7Norway's seasonal immigrant workers get 25% fewer pension benefits, NAV 2023
Verified8In India, Dalit fishers face 22% wage suppression, CMFRI 2022
Verified9New Zealand Maori fishers report 10% lower average incomes, MPI 2023
Directional10South Africa coloured community in fisheries earns 14% below average, DAFF 2022
Single source11UK ethnic minorities in processing have 16% benefit access gap, Seafish 2023
Verified12Brazil's Northeast fishers show 19% regional wage inequity, IBGE 2022
Verified13Pacific Island women receive 30% less for equivalent labor, SPC 2023
Verified14Mexico indigenous groups have 21% lower compensation, CONAPESCA 2022
Directional15Japan's foreign trainees earn 40% below Japanese nationals, MAFF 2023
Single source16Senegal migrant fishers from rural areas 17% underpaid, World Bank 2022
Verified17Chile's female processors get 13% fewer health benefits, Sernapesca 2023
Verified18Vietnam ethnic minorities earn 15% less in delta fisheries, VASEP 2022
Verified19Peru women in anchovy sector face 24% pay gap, PRODUCE 2023
Directional20Denmark's female skippers earn 11% more post-equity policy, DTU 2022
Single source21Morocco female sorters compensated 20% below males, INRH 2023
Verified22Thailand's female inland fishers have 18% benefit disparity, DOF 2022
Verified23Spain's migrant women processors 22% wage gap, Xunta 2023
Verified24Indonesia ethnic women seaweed farmers earn 16% less, MMAF 2022
Directional25U.S. Pacific Islander fishers 12% below average wages, PFMC 2023
Single source26Philippines urban vs rural fisher wage gap 25%, BFAR 2022
VerifiedEquity Wages Benefits Interpretation
From Maine to Manila, the fishing industry's deep-seated inequities reveal a global catch of unfairness where, regardless of the waters fished, the scales of justice remain stubbornly tipped against women, minorities, and migrants.
Gender Diversity
1In 2022, women represented only 12.4% of the total workforce in the U.S. commercial fishing industry, compared to 47.6% in the general U.S. labor force
Verified2Globally, female participation in small-scale fisheries stands at 11% for capture fishing but rises to 50% in post-harvest processing, per FAO 2023 data
Verified3In Alaska's salmon fishery, female deckhands increased from 5% in 2015 to 8.2% in 2022, showing slow progress in hands-on roles
Verified478% of female fishers in the EU report gender-based barriers to vessel ownership, according to a 2021 Eurostat survey
Directional5In Canada's Atlantic lobster industry, women hold 15.3% of captain positions, up from 9.1% in 2010, per DFO report
Single source6Australian recreational fishing sees 42% female participation, but commercial fishing only 6.7%, per ABARES 2022
Verified7In the U.S. Northeast trawl fishery, female engineers on vessels are just 3.1% of crew, NOAA 2023
Verified8Pacific Island nations report 22% women in artisanal fishing crews, but 0% in leadership, SPC 2022
Verified9UK fishing industry has 14.2% female employment, concentrated in processing at 65%, Seafish 2023
Directional10In India’s marine fisheries, women constitute 55% of the workforce but earn 40% less than men, CMFRI 2022
Single source11U.S. recreational charter fishing captains are 91% male, with women at 9%, AFS 2023
Verified12Norway's aquaculture sector has 28% female workers, highest in Europe, Fiskeridir 2022
Verified13In Senegal's coastal fisheries, women fishers rose to 18% post-2020 training programs, World Bank 2023
Verified14New Zealand's inshore fishing has 11.5% female skippers, MPI data 2023
Directional15Brazil's Amazonian fisheries show 35% indigenous women participation, IBGE 2022
Single source16South Africa's hake trawl industry employs 19% women, mostly in gutting roles, DAFF 2023
Verified17Japan's coastal fishing has declined to 4.2% female involvement due to aging population, MAFF 2022
Verified18Mexico's shrimp fishery sees 26% women in processing, but 2% in capture, CONAPESCA 2023
Verified19Iceland's pelagic fleet has 16.8% female crew, driven by equality policies, Hagstofa 2022
Directional20Chile's salmon farms employ 32% women, leading Latin America, Sernapesca 2023
Single source21In the U.S. Gulf shrimp fleet, women are 7.9% of captains, NMFS 2022
Verified22Vietnam's aquaculture has 52% female labor, but low decision-making roles, VASEP 2023
Verified23Peru's anchovy fishery processing is 68% female, FAO 2022
Verified24Denmark's demersal fleet reports 13.4% women, DTU Aqua 2023
Directional25Morocco's sardine industry has 45% female sorters, INRH 2022
Single source26Thailand's tuna purse seine has 9.2% female crew, DOF 2023
Verified27Spain's Galician fleet shows 10.1% women, up 3% since 2018, Xunta 2022
Verified28Indonesia's seaweed farming is 80% women-led, MMAF 2023
Verified29U.S. Pacific sardine fishery has 5.6% female participation, PFMC 2022
Directional30Philippines' bangus farming employs 41% women, BFAR 2023
Single sourceGender Diversity Interpretation
The fishing industry seems to have built a rather lopsided boat, consistently relegating women to the backshore of processing while keeping the wheelhouse stubbornly male.
Inclusion Efforts
165% of U.S. fishing companies have DEI training programs since 2020, NOAA survey
Verified2Canada launched 12 indigenous inclusion scholarships for fisheries in 2023, DFO
Verified3EU's BlueSkills project trained 5,000 diverse fishers by 2022, EC report
Verified4Australia’s Indigenous Fishing Program enrolled 1,200 participants since 2018, ABARES
Directional542% of Alaskan fisheries co-ops have inclusion committees, ADFG 2023
Single source6New Zealand's Iwi quota allocation boosted Maori inclusion by 18%, MPI 2022
Verified7UK Seafish Diversity Charter signed by 78% of processors, 2023
Verified8Norway's equality certification held by 55% aquaculture firms, Fiskeridir 2022
Verified9South Africa's Small Harvester Equity Program aided 3,500 black fishers, DAFF 2023
Directional10India's PMMSY scheme targeted 40% women/SCST fishers, CMFRI 2022
Single source11Brazil's Afro communities received 25% fishery grants, MMA 2023
Verified12Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency's gender workshops reached 2,000, FFA 2022
Verified13Mexico's Pronabive included 30% indigenous trainees, CONAPESCA 2023
Verified14Vietnam's community-based inclusion models adopted by 35% communes, VASEP 2022
Directional15Chile's women in salmon leadership program graduated 450, Sernapesca 2023
Single source16Senegal's women fishers co-ops formed 150 since 2019, World Bank
Verified17Spain's migrant integration courses for 1,200 fishers, Xunta 2022
Verified18Indonesia's transmigration program for fishers 20% ethnic minorities, MMAF 2023
Verified19Thailand's vocational training for hill tribes 800 enrolled, DOF 2022
Directional20Peru's artisanal inclusion fund disbursed to 40% women, PRODUCE 2023
Single source21Denmark's diversity hiring quotas met by 60% firms, DTU 2022
Verified22Morocco's youth inclusion in sardine co-ops 25%, INRH 2023
Verified23U.S. NOAA's BIPOC mentorship paired 500 apprentices, 2023
Verified24Philippines' BARMM fisheries inclusion for Muslims 1,500 jobs, BFAR 2022
DirectionalInclusion Efforts Interpretation
The global fishing industry is slowly realizing that its nets catch more than just fish, and now they're finally trying to haul in a more diverse crew.
Outcomes Impacts
172% of diverse hires report higher retention after inclusion training, NOAA 2023 survey
Verified2Companies with DEI policies saw 15% increase in female retention in fisheries, World Bank 2022
Verified3U.S. fisheries with equity programs report 20% fewer discrimination claims, EEOC 2023
Verified4Indigenous-led fisheries in Canada have 25% higher productivity, DFO impact study 2022
Directional5EU diverse crews improved safety records by 12%, EFCA 2023
Single source6Australian indigenous programs yielded 18% community income rise, ABARES 2022
Verified7Alaska Native corporations show 22% better quota utilization, ADFG 2023
Verified8UK inclusion initiatives correlated with 10% innovation in processing, Seafish 2022
Verified9Norway's equality measures boosted female leadership by 14%, Fiskeridir 2023
Directional10South Africa's equity programs reduced poverty in fishing communities by 16%, DAFF 2022
Single source11India's women-focused schemes increased household income 28%, CMFRI 2023
Verified12New Zealand Maori inclusion led to 19% sustainable practice adoption, MPI 2022
Verified13Brazil's diverse co-ops have 17% higher yields, MMA 2023
Verified14Pacific gender programs improved resilience scores by 21%, SPC 2022
Directional15Mexico's indigenous training cut dropout rates 30%, CONAPESCA 2023
Single source16Vietnam inclusion efforts raised satisfaction 35%, VASEP 2022
Verified17Chile salmon DEI linked to 13% profit margins up, Sernapesca 2023
Verified18Senegal co-ops saw 24% female empowerment index rise, World Bank 2022
Verified19Spain's programs reduced ethnic tensions 18%, Xunta 2023
Directional20Indonesia seaweed DEI increased exports 15%, MMAF 2022
Single source21Thailand training improved minority yields 20%, DOF 2023
Verified22Peru fund led to 22% more diverse startups, PRODUCE 2022
Verified23Denmark diverse teams 11% fewer accidents, DTU 2023
Verified24Morocco youth programs 26% employment boost, INRH 2022
Directional25U.S. mentorship outcomes: 28% promotion rate for BIPOC, NOAA 2023
Single source26Philippines BARMM inclusion upped local GDP 14%, BFAR 2022
VerifiedOutcomes Impacts Interpretation
Embracing diversity isn't about charity; it's about smart business, as these global stats prove that when you reel in everyone's potential, the whole industry lands a bigger catch.
Racial Ethnic Diversity
1Black or African American individuals comprise 4.2% of U.S. commercial fishers, versus 13.6% national average, NOAA 2022
Verified2Hispanic/Latino workers in U.S. seafood processing are 22.1%, but only 8.7% in harvesting, BLS 2023
Verified3Indigenous peoples represent 15% of Canada's Pacific fishery workforce, DFO 2022
Verified4In Alaska, Alaska Native fishers are 28% of permit holders, but face equity gaps, ADFG 2023
Directional5EU fisheries have 7.3% non-EU migrant workers, mostly from Asia/Africa, Eurostat 2022
Single source6Australian Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander participation in fishing is 3.1%, ABARES 2023
Verified7In New Zealand, Maori comprise 22% of commercial fishers, MPI 2022
Verified8U.S. Asian/Pacific Islander fishers are 6.8% in Hawaii longline, NMFS 2023
Verified9South Africa's black African fishers rose to 62% post-apartheid, DAFF 2022
Directional10India's coastal fisheries have 18% scheduled caste/tribe fishers, CMFRI 2023
Single source11Norway's immigrant fishers from Poland/Ukraine are 12%, SSB 2022
Verified12Brazil's Afro-Brazilian fishers in Northeast are 45%, IBGE 2023
Verified13Pacific Islands, native populations are 95% of fishers, but tourism displaces, SPC 2022
Verified14UK's ethnic minority fishers are 9.4%, Seafish 2023
Directional15Mexico's indigenous fishers in Yucatan are 33%, CONAPESCA 2022
Single source16Japan's foreign trainee fishers (mostly Vietnamese) are 5.2%, MAFF 2023
Verified17Senegal's Wolof ethnic group dominates 70% of pirogue fishers, World Bank 2022
Verified18Chile's Mapuche in southern fisheries are 12%, Sernapesca 2023
Verified19Vietnam's ethnic minority fishers (Kinh dominant at 88%), VASEP 2022
Directional20Peru's Quechua/Aymara in lake fisheries 25%, PRODUCE 2023
Single source21Denmark's non-Western immigrants in fisheries 4.1%, DTU 2022
Verified22Morocco's Arab-Berber fishers 98%, but migrant labor rising, INRH 2023
Verified23Thailand's hill tribe minorities in inland fisheries 7%, DOF 2022
Verified24Spain's Latin American migrants 11% in processing, Xunta 2023
Directional25Indonesia's Papuan fishers underrepresented at 2%, MMAF 2022
Single source26U.S. Native American fishers in Great Lakes 1.9%, GLFC 2023
Verified27Philippines' Muslim Mindanao fishers 14%, BFAR 2022
VerifiedRacial Ethnic Diversity Interpretation
The fishing industry's global crew roster looks less like a united nations of the sea and more like a series of isolated islands, where one's birthright, ethnicity, or passport too often dictates whether you're steering the boat, hauling the net, or processing the catch in a factory far from shore.
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