Women in the Commercial Fishing
Industry Research Collection
Dates:
1902-1995 ( inclusive )
1988-1995 ( bulk )
Quantity:
1 linear ft.
Collection Number:
XOE0133womeninfishing
Summary:
This collection of newspaper clippings,
statistics, scholarly articles, and first hand account oral interviews pertain
to women in the commercial fishing industry. They were collected by the then
Western Washington University student, Carole Morris, as a senior thesis
project in the History department. These materials range from 1902 to
1995.
Repository:
Western Washington University Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Funding for preparing this
finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Washington State
Legislature to the Washington Women's History Consortium. Funding for encoding
the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Historical Note
These materials were collected by Carole Teshima Morris for a senior
thesis project on women in the commercial fishing industry for the department
of history at Western Washington University. The resulting paper was entitled,
"Permission to Come Aboard? Right to Come Aboard? Women in the Pacific
Northwest Fishing Fleet, 1945-1993." During the course of her research, Morris
collected numerous newspaper clippings, statistics, and scholarly articles.
Morris also conducted five oral interviews with fisherwomen to add to the
written research material that she collected.
Content Description
The materials in this collection document issues relating to women
working in the Alaskan and Pacific Northwest commercial fishing industry. The
bulk of this collection is comprised of photocopied material gathered by Carole
Morris during the course of her research on the topic. She amassed not only a
number of newspaper clippings that relate to fisherwomen, but also articles,
scholarly journals and trade magazines that pertain to commercial fishing in
general. In addition to articles and clippings, the collection includes
bibliographic and archival repository reference information as well as findings
and reports from commissions like the Washington State Fish Commissioner and
the Commercial Fishers Project of the Seaman's Church Institute of New York and
New Jersey. The collection spans from 1902 to the mid 1990s, although the
majority of it dates from 1988 to 1995. Among the major topics covered in this
collection are equality, general fishing laws and regulations, names and
statistics of fisherwomen in the region, as well as issues of discrimination
and harrassment affecting women working in a male dominated profession.
Morris's finished thesis, "Permission to Come Aboard? Right to Come
Aboard? Women in the Pacific Northwest Fishing Fleet, 1945-1993," ties together
these numerous sources on the commercial fishing industry. The interviews date
from 1993.Also included are the interview forms and questionnaires that she
used.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public.
Preferred Citation :
Women in the Commercial Fising Industry Reseach Collection, Center for
Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA
98225-9123
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Women in the Commercial Fishing Industry Research Collection is
arranged in accordance with the following series arrangement:
Series I: Research Material, 1902-1995
Series II: Oral History Interviews, 1993
Related Materials :
Related material includes the Women's Maritime Association records,
housed at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Separated Materials :
One interview was removed at the request of the interviewee.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Series I: Research Material, 1902-1995
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Senior Thesis Western Washington
University: “Permission to Come Aboard? Right to Come Aboard? Women in the
Pacific Northwest Fishing Fleet, 1945-1993.” Carole Teshima Morris, Winter
1994.
1994
1/2
Women in Northwest Commercial
Fishing Presentation
1994
1/3
Archival and Museum Fishing
Resources Materials
undated
1/4
Bibliographic Material Concerning
Women in Fishing
1973-1991
1/5
General Fishing
Resources
1978-1994
1/6
Fishing Statistics
1987-1993
1/7
Fishing Legal
Material
1930-1989
1/8
Fishing Newspaper Clippings –
Work
1987-1995
1/9
Fishing Newspaper Clippings –
Abuse
1989-1994
1/10
Fishing Journal, Magazine, and
Newspaper Articles
1980-1995
1/11
Fishing Journal, Magazine, and
Newspaper Articles
1980-1995
2/1
The
Fisherman, 50th Anniversary
1987 July
2/2
Thirteenth Annual Report of the
State Fish Commissioner to the Governor of the State of Washington
Abstract: Lynn Dennis recounts her
experience as a female fisherman in the Pacific Northwest, where she fished for
both sockeye salmon and crab. Ms. Dennis explains that she first fished the
Nooksack River in a 12-foot boat, gradually working her way up to a 21-foot
gill-netter (The Humdinger) operating out of Point Roberts. She describes the
tribal fisheries system (in which enrolled tribal members can receive treaty
licenses for commercial fishing), differences between fishing on rivers and
fishing in salt water, and selection of crew members. She describes the
realities of commercial fishing, fishing in inclement weather, and lessons
learned from those experiences. She discusses discrimination in fishing and
ways to overcome that adversity, and the economic and political climate of the
commercial fishing industry in the 1990s, including some ramifications of the
US-Canada Treaty on tribal fishing operations.
1993 February 11
2/7
Jez, Katrina
Abstract: Katrina Jez describes her
work in fishing, primarily in Southeast Alaska, and explains a typical season
on a purse-seine boat. She discusses crew turnover, salaries and her specific
duties onboard the boat. She reflects on the growing numbers of women working
on purse-seiners, and the good living provided by commercial fishing. She
describes some of the dangers accompanying the job, changes in the industry
relating to boats, regulations, and resources, and the strong sense of
community in the fishing industry. She describes the process of purse-seining
and the joys and demands of the job. Ms. Jez discusses fisheries management
issues such as dwindling fish populations in Puget Sound and efforts to restock
Southeast Alaska fisheries. She mentions the politics of fishing, the impact of
Asian driftnet fishing, and describes an increasing consciousness about the
environment and pollution problems from within the fishing community. She
reflects on the potential challenges affecting women and other individuals
involved in commercial fishing.
undated
Box
2/8
Mosness, Anne
1993 April 20
2/9
Walker, Kim
Abstract: Kim Walker recalls her
introduction to fishing as a nineteen-year old in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Her
first job was as a cook on the Unimak, a power scow tender and crabber. She
describes experiences when she began work as a deckhand, and explains the
various job descriptions on a processing boat (approx. 130-140 feet). She
discussed the dangers of fishing, especially during inclement weather, and
reflects on wages, family dynamics, licensing, and the experiences of women in
the industry.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Personal Names :
Morris,
Carole Teshima
(
creator)
Subject Terms :
Fisheries -- Alaska --
History -- Sources.
Fisheries --
Washington(State) -- History -- Sources.
Oral History.
Sex discrimination against
women -- Alaska -- History -- Sources.
Sex discrimination against
women -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources.
Sex discrimination in
employment -- Alaska -- History -- Sources.
Sex discrimination in
employment -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources.
Sexual harassment --
Washington(State) -- History -- Sources.
Women fish trade workers --
Alaska -- History -- Sources.
Women fish trade workers --
Washington(State) -- History -- Sources.
Women fishers -- Alaska --
History -- Sources.
Women fishers --
Washington(State) -- History -- Sources.
