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.

Bobby Ingalls, a lobsterman from Bucks Harbor, ME, speaks about the lobster and scallop fishing in his area and tells humorous stories about some of the trouble his fishermen friends and family have been in. Focusing on the changes in his community, Ingalls describes the impacts of come-from-aways, fishing in the 70s, and the competitive side of offshore fishing.

Bobby Ingalls is a seasoned lobster fisherman from Bucks Harbor, Maine, with decades of experience in the industry. Known for his resilience and love for the sea, Bobby embraces the traditional aspects of fishing and values sustainable practices.

Reggie Lee, from Westport Island near Boothbay Harbor, is a versatile fisherman who has dabbled in lobstering, dragging, shrimping, and eel trapping throughout his 46-year career. Reggie is transitioning to longlining and eagerly explores new fishing opportunities while advocating for the preservation of smaller-scale fisheries.

Brandon Schroeder is an Extension Educator with the Michigan Sea Grant college program, a collaborative effort between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. He is employed through Michigan State University Extension, which forms the other half of Michigan Sea Grant. Schroeder lives and works in Lincoln, Michigan, Alcona County, serving the northern coastal communities of northern Lake Huron. His work primarily involves fisheries, working with commercial fishermen, charter boat fishermen, and the recreational community.

Brenda Thomas, a former schooner boat captain from Rockland, ME, sails traditionally on national historic landmark schooners such as the S/V Isaac Evans. Thomas, as someone who has spent two decades on the water, speaks about her spectrum of positive and negative experiences of fishermen interacting with the boating communities.

Brian Altvater, Sr. is the chair of the Schoodic River Keepers. He played a key role in establishing the committee to restore the St. Croix River. Altvater is proud that the committee is grassroots and non-politically motivated despite being involved in political matters due to the involvement of different countries, the Tribe, the state of Maine, and the International Joint Commission. He was particularly upset about the denial of ancestral habitat to alewives above the Grand Falls dam, which prevented them from spawning and breeding for 22 years.

Bruce Bourque lives in Freeport, ME, where he has taught archaeology and conducted research at Bates College since 1972. Now retired from teaching, he is working on a documentary film on the history of Maine's fisheries. Bourque came to the state originally to study Maine's prehistory, the period before 1600, and the people that lived on this coast. He was able to collaborate with others to combine this archaeological record with more recent accounts of fisheries history to build a longer timescale of context for how the Gulf of Maine has been changing.

Bruce Fernald, a lobsterman from Little Cranberry Island, ME, speaks about his concerns for the future of his island community and the Maine lobster industry. He emphasizes the importance of getting internet out to islands to provide other options for making a living. Fernald also talks about how none of the young people in his family want to fish and that six generations of lobster fishing will end with this generation.

Butch Harris is a seasoned fisherman and summertime charter captain from Eastport, Maine. He has spent the majority of his life engaging in lobstering, scalloping, and urchin diving. 

Scope and Content Note

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.