Portland Fish Exchange lumper Fred Viola talks about his career lumping fish in Portland and changes in the fishing industry.

This interview was produced with funding from the Maine Humanities Council.

Edwin and Freda McKie are experienced lobster fishermen based in Prince Edward Island (PEI). Edwin began his fishing career in 1971 and purchased his own boat and license in 1973, while Freda joined him in lobster fishing in 1982.

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Gary Hatch, a lifelong resident of Owls Head, Maine, comes from a lineage of fishermen. His formative years were spent learning the intricacies of lobster and flounder fishing, a tradition within his family. Hatch's career in fishing expanded when he was introduced to seining by an older fisherman, a method that deepened his connection to the sea. His affinity for the coastal environment was not only a source of livelihood but also a passion that led him to explore the shorelines and waters of Maine.

Gary Libby is a seasoned fisherman with deep roots in Port Clyde, Maine, a town with a rich maritime history. Born into a family with a longstanding connection to the sea, Gary's lineage includes coasters and merchant captains, and his family has been an integral part of the area for generations. His life has been shaped by the ebb and flow of the ocean and the fishing industry that has sustained his community for decades.

Gladden Schrock is a multifaceted individual with a diverse professional background. He has established himself as a herring fisherman, author, and playwright. His life's work has been significantly influenced by his experiences in the herring stop-seine fishery, which he began in the 1960s. Schrock's career has been rooted in South Bristol, Maine, where he has witnessed and contributed to the evolution of coastal life. His insights extend beyond fishing to encompass the sociocultural transformations within his community, including the interactions with Amish and Mennonite groups.

Glenn Robbins is a herring and lobster fisherman out of Rockland, ME. He has extensive experience on the sea as he started fishing when he was 12 years old. He compares purse seining and trawling and talks about their effects on marine ecosystems. Robbins also speaks about the changes, as well as the rises and falls, in the fisheries over the past 60 years. Robbins emphasizes how important it is to fish sustainably and protect fishing grounds.

Hallie Arno, originally from New Jersey, moved to Lincolnville, Maine, and developed a strong connection to the ocean. She was a student at College of the Atlantic (COA) in Bar Harbor, ME at the time of this interview.

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Hattie Train is a young woman hailing from Long Island, Maine, with a rich family history deeply rooted in the fishing industry. Born and raised in a family of fishermen, she has been actively involved in the fishing industry from a very young age. Her family's fishing activities are not confined to a single area but span from the cove near their house, between Mariners and Cleaves Landing, to offshore federal permitted areas and behind the island. Her father, in particular, is known to fish further offshore.

Herbert Carter Jr. is a commercial shellfish harvester from Deer Isle, ME.

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Frank Heller and Jack Collins, two friends and prospective aquaculturists from Brunswick, ME, share anecdotes from their life including how Heller broke his leg while walking on Popham Beach, was treated by the same doctor as Stephen King, and few years later, broke his wrist in the same location as the leg. Both men are interested in organic ocean farming and discuss the information they learned at the Forum about oyster aquaculture and seasteads.