Hannah Cinnemantaro is a marine observer with a rich family history in the marine industry. Born and raised in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Hannah grew up close to the ocean, influenced by her parents, who both worked in the marine industry. Her mother worked on a Whale Watch since she was pregnant with Hannah, and her father worked on another Whale Watch boat and in the marine industry with oil riggers. Hannah's love for the ocean led her to an internship on a whale watch out of Gloucester, Massachusetts, where she collected quantitative and qualitative data on humpbacks on Stellwagen Bank.

Monique Arsenault is a marine observer with a background in biomedical science. Born in April, she grew up in Pelham, New Hampshire, near the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border. Both sides of her family hail from Canada, with her maternal grandparents working in mills and factories in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and her paternal family originating from Prince Edward Island. Arsenault's interest in marine biology began in college, where she initially majored in the subject before switching to a broader biomedical science degree.

Rob Bland is a seasoned Northeast Fisheries Observer with over 19 years of experience in the field. Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Rob developed a love for the outdoors and aquatic environments from a young age, thanks to his family's recreational fishing trips and camping adventures. His interest in marine life was further piqued by a documentary he watched in sixth grade about humpback whale discovery, which led him to pursue a career in marine research. Rob attended a school in Mathias, Maine, which marked the beginning of his journey on the East Coast.

Tori Pilger is a marine biologist who worked as an observer for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center fishery monitoring Operations Branch. Pilger graduated from college with a degree in marine biology and moved to Texas before joining the observer program through East West Technical Services. Pilger trained in 2018 and spent three years as an observer, primarily on single-day trips on scalloping day boats due to chronic seasickness.

• Received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1965
• Did post-doctoral work at the University of Miami 1966-1967
• Employed at the Beaufort Laboratory in 1967, initially with the Menhaden Program
• Established the Reef Fish Program at the Beaufort Laboratory in the early 1970s, studying life histories of the snapper-grouper complex of fishes along the U.S.

Dr. Jeff Govoni's was born in Wareham, Massachusetts, and spent his formative years in the Village of Buzzards Bay, fostering a deep fascination with the local plants and animals. He pursued a Bachelor's Degree in Biology at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, which he successfully completed in 1970. Following his graduation, he joined the Massachusetts National Guard. In the years that followed, from 1972 to 1974, Jeff worked with a consulting firm, focusing on describing the distribution of fish eggs and larvae in Narragansett Bay.

• John grew up in Pennsylvania and received his Master’s degree in the early 1950s from Bucknell University
• He worked for about five years in the early 1950s as an oyster biologist for the State of Maryland near Annapolis
• He was hired as a fishery biologist with the Radiobiological Laboratory at the Beaufort Laboratory in 1955
• Retired from the Beaufort Laboratory in 1975
• John was 98 years old when he recorded this interview

Dr. Gordon Thayer, a renowned Fishery Biologist, has made substantial contributions to the field of fisheries research and management. He obtained a Master's degree from the University of Delaware and later pursued his Ph.D. at North Carolina State University. In 1968, Gordon joined the Beaufort Lab, where he dedicated over three decades to the study of fisheries. Gordon was instrumental in establishing the Seagrass Program at the Beaufort Laboratory in the late 1960s, contributing to the preservation and conservation of seagrass habitats. Dr.

"What stimulated me and pleased me very much with my position as a research biologist, was that I felt that the government, under this program, was really trying to benefit the industry and the industry recognized that they would benefit.  As you said, it was best to have good data about the fishery and the fish.  So, we developed a very, very close relationship."

• Eldon was born and raised in California. He served in the U.S. Army overseas.
• He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management from San Jose State University in the mid-1960s.
• Eldon was initially employed by the U.S.