Milestones
By Katia Frangoudes (katia, frangoudes@univ-brest.fr), Facilitator of AKTEA, the European Network of Women in Fisheries and Aquaculture
FRANCE
1993-1996: During the massive strikes organized by fishermen, fisherwomen participate actively by establishing survival committees to support the families of striking fishers.
1996: Centre d’Etude et d’Action Sociales Maritimes (CEASM), an organization working on the social aspects of fisheries initiate specific work on women in fisheries and collaborate with women involved in survival committees. The demand is that fishery laws, being debated in Parliament, recognize the contribution of wives to the family enterprise.
1997: A new fisheries law recognizes fisherwomen’s invisible work by formulating the concept of the collaborative spouse.
1998: Two national-level women’s federations are created: FIFEL and 3FM, both focusing on fisherwomen’s contributions.
1999: A bye-law defines the conditions under which the collaborative spouse status may be applied. Women can now contribute individually to retirement benefit schemes.
2001: FIFEL, in collaboration with CEASM, prepares a list outlining women’s contributions within fisheries and shellfish enterprises.
2001-2007: National fisherwomen organizations negotiate with French authorities for improvements to the collaborative spouse status clause.
2007: The collaborative spouse status is conferred on all women contributing in fisheries enterprises. Women’s organizations demands are, however, not taken into account.
