She focuses on championing the work of the €40+ billion ($44.4+ billion) fishing industry in the corridors of the European Union, ensuring that commissioners, ministers and MEPs see the fishermen’s side of the story. She also works on challenging negative perceptions of the industry which is often unjustly targeted.
A Yorkshire-native, Stack spent 6.5 years as a policy advisor in the European Parliament before landing the role at Europeche and shaking up the Brussels status quo.
IntraFish: What attracted you about the opportunity to take over as head of Europeche?
Kathryn Stack: Having worked for many years in the European Parliament working on fisheries policy, I wanted a change and a new challenge. When the opportunity presented itself to work at Europeche, I could not pass it by.
The voice of the sector is often lost when forging important and technical fisheries policy and I wanted to continue to fight for fair and proportionate legislation and against ill-thought out crowd-pleasing rules and regulations that only serve to push the sector into further uncertainty.
IF: Have you faced any obstacles in your career because you are a woman?
KS: I have been lucky enough to have worked and continue to work with open-minded people who have encouraged me and supported me to do better. But, I do feel generally, women are often overlooked in the workplace and feel they have to prove themselves a lot more. I think it is important to break stereotypes by simply communicating with people, not feeling intimidated and showing you can do the job just as well as your male counterparts.
Sadly, it isn't just about men's attitudes to women in the workplace but also women feel more competitive in a male-dominated industry. This should not be the case and we should be helping each other, not competing against each other.
IF: Why do you believe there are so few female top executives in the fishing and seafood industry?
KS: The fishing world is a very male-dominated sector, not just in the skilled, operational work but in the managerial positions too. Women are simply not attracted to what they consider a male-job. Fishermen tend to be male and I think this has filtered up the chain.
IF: What are the main obstacles facing female executives in the industry men might not encounter?
KS: There are many obstacles that a woman may face, juggling the work-life balance or facing 'old-boys club' notions but I think it is important that women don't try and work like men. They should not try to adopt the same male attitude to work but should just be themselves and have confidence in who they are. They shouldn't feel intimidated to speak up.
IF: How can the industry recruit more women, and how can an organization such as Europeche help tackling the issue?
KS: Women are an untapped resource in the sector with just 3 percent of the fishing sector workforce being women. It is important that women don't feel too intimidated to take on jobs in the fishing sector because it is so male-dominated.
Measures could be taken in operational programs to encourage female participation. There should also be a more solid legal basis for women to operate as fishers. Through our members, Europeche has participated in various conferences on the role of women in fisheries and participated in projects on gender equality. I am hoping that with more women visible in fisheries positions, it will encourage others to follow suit.
IF: Would you encourage women to seek a career in seafood? Why?
KS: Of course! Working in fisheries is not just about fish. We deal with environmental issues, foreign affairs, trade and employment. The fishing sector has a lot to offer; it's exciting, interesting and we shouldn't leave it just to the men! There are predominantly more women in the processing sector, the lower-grade unskilled work and we need to get more women in the top jobs, not just for our own sake but I think we can offer the male-dominated sector a different attitude to working.
IF: If you could change one thing about the fishing and seafood industry to make it a better place for female workers, what would it be?
KS: At Europeche we represent fishermen across Europe. We have seen that despite cultural differences, the problems facing women in the sector are the same across the board. Whilst it is difficult to change things overnight, women should be encouraged to join the sector with more inclusive training programs.
Sadly, data on female workers is very limited so we need more raw data on how many women actually work in the sector; that way we know what areas we should be focusing on.
IF: What is the dumbest advice a man has ever given you on a professional level?
KS: Among my favorites were: "You should wear a trouser suit or you won't be taken seriously!" and "I think it's best to aim for a lower position to make sure you get it!"
