UK Women in Fisheries (WIF) was set up in 2020 by and for women in the fishing and seafood sector. The CIC aims to champion the voices of women, raise awareness of the issues they face and find solutions to improve their experiences in the industry. WIF represents over 300 women who work in the UK seafood sector, from women in the catching sector, fleet managers, vessel owners, fishmongers, processors, fishing conservationists, charity workers, training or vital unseen roles elsewhere in the industry.
Historically, there has been a cultural and traditional prejudice against women in the fishing and seafood sector. In 2012, women made up about 15% of the UK’s fisheries and aquaculture sector. As a marginalised group in UK fisheries, women face numerous barriers such as recruitment challenges, discrimination, violence and abuse, lack of mentors, and childcare issues. Since 2020, UK WIF has worked to build a network providing peer to peer learning, mentorship, leadership and confidence building opportunities for women in the sector. In 2023, WIF partnered with Fishmongers’ Company to support five women to complete The Oxford Women’s Leadership Development Programme. The formation of WIF came alongside a series of academic papers that highlighted the significance of women in the UK’s fishing and seafood sector.
In 2024, the UK WIF network benefitted from employing a Network Co-ordinator and a Communications Officer which has seen their membership grow significantly and provided direction and values to the CIC. Free membership to the network includes an exclusive members directory, regular interactive online events in the form of webinars and an informal bi-weekly community group. Along with a members portal offering training, personal development and employment opportunities. The UK WIF Network has also been partnering and building relationships with other organisations designed to assist women in times of uncertainty or crisis and have developed an area of their website dedicated to finding the support they need when it matters most.
In early 2025, UK Women in Fisheries heard from women across the UK about their difficult experiences attending sea survival courses where they were the only women present. Many have shared stories of feeling isolated, overlooked, ridiculed or harassed in male-dominated environments.
In May 2025, UK WIF supported the first-ever women’s-only Sea Survival course in Newquay. This was designed to empower women with the skills and confidence to not only stay safe at sea, and to build friendships that support learning in women-only spaces, where curiosity and vulnerability were embraced. The full-day course welcomed participants from roles across the fisheries space and included women from many isolated communities across the UK, allowing new opportunities for friendship and networking.
Connection to Esmée’s strategy
- Priorities:
- Long-term outcomes:
- Fisheries in the UK are well and equitably managed, using low impact methods
- Policy, practice, and the law better meets the needs of women experiencing multiple challenges and discrimination
From Morven Robertson, Funding Manager, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation:
We have an overarching commitment to social justice, and to tackling injustice and inequality. We know from research we have supported in the marine sector that it is one of the least diverse in the UK and are committed to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion across our marine programme. Fishing is one of the most male dominated sectors in the UK and women have long been among it’s hidden voices. Supporting WIF is helping to increase the visibility of women in the sector and drive change to create a safer, more inclusive and diverse industry.
From UK Women in Fisheries:
This past year has been about establishing our identity and defining our values of empowerment, equality, and passion, whilst growing our membership and having increased visibility within the fisheries sector. With a strong foundation, we’ve been able to deliver meaningful programmes like our first mentorship matchmaking scheme, develop resources such as Safehavens for signposting essential resources specific to the sector, and shine a light on women’s contributions across the industry. Everything we do reflects our values, creating spaces where women feel valued, empowered, and able to shape the future of UK fisheries with confidence.
The UK WIF network is committed to ongoing support for the women in our community. and this work has only been possible thanks to the long term commitment from Esmee Fairbairn of which we are extremely grateful.
