Women on the Water: Perceptions of Human-Nature Relationships from Female Kelp Farmers in Maine and Atlantic Canada

Abstract

Kelp farming has gained traction over the last few years in North America due to its environmental benefits and its unique gender-inclusivity within the world of aquaculture. This study uses a phenomenological and feminist framework to inductively explore how women in the kelp farming industry of Atlantic Canada and Maine perceive and experience their role in the industry, climate change, adaptation, and how these factors may influence their relationship with the natural world. It builds on previous research demonstrating how women tend to adapt to the effects of climate change differently than men. For the study I recruited seven female-identifying participants using news articles and social media platforms who then engaged in semi-structured interviews and a photovoice activity. The results suggest that participants prefer to approach climate change adaptation by looking to reach a new harmony with nature, rather than joining the ranks to ‘fight’ against climate change. This involves decentering modern human needs and instead balancing them against the needs of our natural environment. The data also explores how place-attachment affected participants’ psychology regarding their relationship with the natural world and climate change, as well as some of the challenges that the participants foresee for the kelp farming industry and their involvement in it.