Fishy windows to an Arctic city: Urban (in)visibilities of global fisheries in Tromso

Abstract

Although urban and fisheries are not commonly paired in the analyses of either urbanism or fisheries governance, today's large-scale fisheries are often closely organised in connection with cities. In this paper, I build on a feminist perspective and urban studies to examine the makings of a city through contemporary fisheries. Drawing upon observations and interviews conducted in Tromso, Norway, which is a key site for Arctic fisheries, I review how fish and fisheries are simultaneously made visible and invisible in urban spheres. By analysing the gendered structures and valuations that organise the city-fisheries relations, I introduce three fishy windows to demonstrate the kinds of development and future pathways for fisheries that are considered relevant and rational in and for the city. In particular, I discuss how the historical, techno-masculine narratives of mastering Arctic nature frame and legitimise fisheries practices as they expand throughout Tromso. The study builds on the emerging research on Arctic urbanism to highlight the need to better integrate gendered analyses of the urban into social science research on natural resource extraction.