Study targets Inuit women in fisheries

As interest in fisheries and Inuit participation grows, there’s a concern that Inuit women may be left behind.

That’s why, as part of a research project undertaken by the Arctic Council and the national Inuit women’s association Pauktuutit, Leesee Papatsie has been conducting interviews in Pangnirtung and Iqaluit, talking to everyone from women working in the fish processing plant in Pangnirtung or who grew up in a fishing family, to officials involved with organizations such as the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans or Nunavut’s Department of Sustainable Development.

“[We are] not just going to people in DFO or DSD and asking them what are their thoughts,” explained the project’s lead researcher Joanna Kafarowski. “We are talking to women who are involved in the fisheries, talking to the students who are in programs at Arctic College as well as talking to the organizations. So, it really is community-based research, talking to the women who know about it. We’re trying to get at how women are involved in decision-making roles in fisheries at all different levels.”

Until this project, little has been known about the role of Inuit women in fisheries.

“Men are more represented in the offshore fisheries. Historically, women’s roles have been quite prominent in the processing of fish, in the cleaning and drying of fish. Women comprise the largest number of workers in fish processing plants, so women are there, but we’re trying to figure out where they’re located and making sure they’re in decision-making positions,” Kafarowski said.

Kafarowski said an increasing emphasis on the sustainable development of fisheries means it’s more urgent than ever to involve women in fisheries.

“Women need and have to be recognized in these different roles, but there is very little work that has been done on gender in fisheries, and particularly in Canada,” she said.

In addition to looking at Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, researchers will also ask similar questions in Holman and, perhaps, in Kangiqsualujjuaq.

The idea for this project came out of the circumpolar women’s conference held two years ago in northern Finland. Since then, each of the Arctic Council countries developed their own project.

In addition to Pauktuutit, other contributors to Canada’s portion of the project include federal and territorial governments, foundations, institutes, the Baffin Fisheries Coalition and the Kakivak Association.

The project’s initial results will be shared with the communities involved this summer, and the final project is expected to be ready next December.

The development of a strategic action plan to mobilize Inuit women and increase women’s involvement in the fisheries will follow, according to a news release from Pauktuutit.