ABSTRACT
Women’s work, in the context of fishing economics, has long remained ignored due to male guardianship over their commercial activity. Legally, women were not free to establish businesses; their occupation in most cases appeared under the name of their father or husband. This explains why their important role has scarcely left a trace in written public and private records in Galicia, Spain. Through some rare fiscal and accounting documents, recorded oral testimonies, photographs and videos, the work of female net makers (the ‘rederas’) is articulated in the narrative of the Museo Marea exhibition. This local history cultural centre has also carried out research in two other important areas: the role of women in the production of salted sardines outside the domestic sphere, and their evolving role in the fish retailing business. The expanding salting industry of the nineteenth century sought to employ women for their cheap skilled labour, which led to a surge in the employment of women in this sector and in that of the later fish canning business.
Women’s selling activity initially entailed the exchange of scanty fish and shellfish for agricultural produce; however, with time they were gradually able to obtain a public licence to independently operate in provincial and national fish supply markets.
