The women fishers of the Black Sea: A night journey full of challenges

Female fishers, who are quite few in number in Turkey, have been assisting their husbands in the Okçulu neighborhood of the Perşembe district since the 1950s. Having called upon their wives for help years ago due to a shortage of deckhands, fishers in the Perşembe district have continued to pass this profession down from generation to generation as husband-and-wife teams for years. Through this tradition, which has persisted for over 70 years, women both contribute to the household economy and overcome the challenges of the trade.

The approximately 25 female fishers head out to sea with their spouses in the evening hours for bonito fishing, returning in the morning. For whiting fishing, the women set out to sea before dawn and return to the shore with the first light of day. When the women go out to sea, they operate the boats, cast nets with their spouses, and catch and pack the fish.

Havagül Arslan, who has been fishing for years alongside her husband, said, “I have been doing this for 20 years. During the bonito season, my husband and I head out to sea in the evening and work until morning. We didn't catch anything in our nets in the evening, but thank God we caught bonito toward morning. Although it has its difficulties, the season is going well. Fishing has its good sides, but it is a difficult profession. We head out to sea around 5:00 PM and dock at the port around 8:00 AM. We do housework during the day. I am my husband's biggest supporter in this profession. Even though it is difficult, it is good; after all, we are working to earn our bread.”

Mehmet Arslan stated that he fishes with his wife, who is his greatest supporter, saying, "We are together day and night. I couldn't do this on my own without her. Right now, it is bonito season, and thank God, it is bountiful. We spend half our day at sea, and that is how we pass our time. My wife operates the boat, helps with setting and hauling the nets, and we overcome the challenges of this job together."

Zekiye Gündoğdu, a mother of two who goes whiting fishing with her husband, said that they fish at sea between 03:30 and 08:00, and then remove the fish from the nets on the shore. Gündoğdu stated that fishing is difficult in cold weather but pleasant in warm weather.

A fisher named Emel Deniz stated that their shelters had been demolished, noting that this situation puts a great strain on them and their spouses, especially during cold weather. Deniz added that she assists her husband after he sets out to sea, and that they continue this work regardless of whether it is summer or winter.

Stating that they have been helping their spouses for years, Hacer Akkaya said that they do not have a shelter and that they struggle greatly in cold weather.