Women make up only 23% of Europe’s total aquaculture workforce. Moreover, female employees in the EU’s seafood sectors tend to occupy what are considered low-valued positions. Often their work goes unrecognised – they are poorly paid or in some cases not paid at all.
The industry increasingly sees this lack of gender balance as a problem. Outdated societal perceptions and lack of awareness among young women about the job opportunities in the fishery sector, including aquaculture, are blamed for this imbalance.
In Greece, the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization promotes greater gender equality by running awareness-raising campaigns, particularly for those students thinking about their future careers.
Ocean spoke to Ismini Bogdanou, Director of Communications & PR at the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO):
She says aquaculture is a great Greek employer: “Indirectly, we employ 12,000 people, and directly 5,000 people, mostly in rural areas. It’s very important for the families and the local communities because these areas are not always areas that have other sources of income…