Sarah Madronal is a fisheries biologist from Cutler, ME. With a background in policy studies, she has focused her work on understanding the social structures and cultural significance surrounding fisheries, particularly alewives.

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Sam Ladley, who summered on Matinicus, ME, as a child, started to go lobstering with his father and fellow youngsters by the age of 8. Ladley shares stories from his childhood fishing with his family and friends including how he survived a sinking ship accident and how, another time, their boat’s engine broke in a thick fog.

Sam Belknap, a project leader at the Island Institute from Damariscotta, ME. He is an anthropologist and climate scientist with a background in fishing. He currently works in the nonprofit sector because he wanted to engage in applied work that could bring about real-world change more quickly than academia or the policy world.

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Rustin Taylor, from Somesville, ME, is an elver fisherman who fishes around Mount Desert Island and Ellsworth. He talks about the changes in the fishery over time and the environmental balances to consider when fishing. He explains some of the factors that affect this fishery, such as water level fluctuations caused by the Union River Dam and the quota system established after the 2013 season.

Russell Kingman grew up in Denis, a few towns over from Chatham, MA where he is now a weir fisherman and fisheries advocate. He has also done work as a clammer and a coast guard safety trainer, specializing in training fishermen in survival at sea. He is involved in local bands Poi Dog Pondering and SeaFire Kids, which focuses on fisheries music.

Rodman Sykes is a seasoned commercial fisherman from Point Judith, Rhode Island. With 50 years of experience in the fishing industry, he represents the third generation of fishermen in his family. Sykes specializes in skate and ground fish.

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Robert Morse is the owner of Atlantic Laboratories North American Kelp. He runs a plant in Waldoboro, ME, that has been operating since the 1970s to produce fertilizers and animal feed supplements out of rockweed. They export to more than 24 countries and have established a global market for seaweed. Morse talks about the uses for “liquid seaweed” as well as how the seaweed business has changed over the years.

Richard Nelson is a retired lobsterman out of Friendship, ME. He moved to Maine to continue a musical instrument repair business, but the ocean view from the window of his shop called him out onto the water. He tells the story of how he started out helping and learning from a long-time lobsterman while slowly building up his own equipment and credibility in the community.

Phoebe Jekielek, an education program leader on Hurricane Island, ME, speaks about the realities and importance of working with students on Hurricane Island. She discusses changes she has observed through her years of work and the successes and challenges of aquaculture in education.

Philip Conkling grew up in the Hudson River valley and is the retired co-founder and former president of the Island Institute from Camden, ME. Since then, he has been engaged in environmental and nonprofit consulting.

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