Maine Coast Fishermen's Association

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Bob and Diane Williams Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Bob Williams, a lobsterman, and his wife, Diane Williams, live in Stonington, ME and first met at the Fishermen’s Forum 38 years ago. They return every year for their anniversary. In the interview, they discuss the rising value of property in their area, their experiences living in coastal Maine, and the changes in the culture and economy of Stonington since the 70s such as the decline of jobs such as quarry work, ice chipping, and factory work.

Galen Koch Rockland, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Brian Bichrest Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

Interview with Brian Bichrest of Harpswell, Maine.  Mr. Bichrest is a gill net fisherman of the Maine Coast Community Sector. In this interview, he shares his recollections of growing up in Harpswell and observations from his experience on the water.

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

Joshua Wrigley Harpswell, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Bruce Dyer Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

Interview with Bruce Dyer, a stop seine herring fisherman and lifelong resident of Cliff Island, ME.  Interview contains information on Mr. Dyer's career in the stop seine herring fishery and lobster fishery, his observations on herring behavior, fishing methods, locations, fishing techniques and island life.

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

Joshua Wrigley Cliff Island, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Carl Schwab Voices of the Maine Fishermen's Forum 2018

Carl Schwab, a retired fisherman from Port Clyde, ME, who was not born into a fishing family, speaks about how he began to summer in Maine and work on fishing boats. He speaks about his experiences fishing for different species such as lobster, herring, and shrimp and the differences in his personal experience of fishing with his children’s growing up in this way of life.

Teagan White Rockland, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, The Island Institute
Edward Thorbjornson Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

Fisherman Edward Thorbjornson of Tenant's Harbor, ME recalls his career fishing with the 40 Fathom redfish fleet, shrimping and groundfish dragging.

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

Joshua Wrigley Tenants Harbor, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Eva Cushman Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

Eva Cushman, born in 1924 in Camden, Maine, was a long-time resident of Port Clyde, Maine. She moved to Thomaston with her parents shortly after her birth and attended Thomaston schools where she met her future husband. Her husband worked on the mailboat Nereid, which traveled from Thomaston to Monhegan to Boothbay Harbor and back. They married in 1941 and had seven children together. In 1946, they moved to Port Clyde where her husband worked as a lobsterman, fisherman, and clam digger.

Joshua Wrigley, Scott Sell Port Clyde, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Frank Bichrest Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

This is an interview with fisherman Frank Bichrest of Cundy's Harbor, ME. Interview contains descriptions of the groundfish fishery, shrimping, lobstering and the community of Harpswell. 

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

Joshua Wrigley Cundy's Harbor, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Fred Viola Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

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.

Joshua Wrigley South Portland, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Gary Hatch Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

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.

Joshua Wrigley Owls Head, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council
Gary Libby Maine Coast Oral History Initiative

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.

Joshua Wrigley Port Clyde, ME Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, The Island Institute, Maine Humanities Council