Women's Fisheries Network-An Overview

The Women's Fisheries Network, established in 1983 in Seattle, grew rapidly to meet the needs of women in the seafood industry and to serve as a forum for timely and sometimes controversial issues.  It has served its members and non-members well over the years as a place to exchange ideas, learn about new developments in the industry, make contacts and meet new friends.

The organization was not developed overnight; much thought, discussion and debate went into every aspect.  The goal was to develop the framework for an organization that could serve its members-and the industry-into the 21^st Century with little change to the original structure.  The fact that the Network continues to grow today attests to the success of our founders in achieving that goal.

Women's Fisheries Network-How it came to be

During the 1982 Ballard Octoberfest Fun-Run a small group of women met for breakfast and took that opportunity to talk about the fishing industry.  With great enthusiasm, they talked about their fishing backgrounds, their companies and their job descriptions as well as some to the problems and frustrations that each of them had felt at some point working in this male dominated industry.  They found their meeting quite stimulating and decided that the women needed a fisheries trade association through which they could learn more about the industry, promote moral support and develop the contacts that were necessary to provide the opportunities for growth that they each desired.