The narrator was born in Norway and immigrated to the United States at the age of twelve. They initially settled in New Bedford, where they fished for nearly 20 years. In 1976, the narrator moved to Cape May and started operating an 88-foot 'eastern rig' vessel for scalloping. At that time, there were only 3 or 4 full-time scallopers in Cape May.

The interviewee is a seasoned participant in the fishing industry with a rich familial background in both fishing and farming. His roots trace back to Sweden, where he garnered initial experience in fishing before immigrating to the United States. Settling in Cape May, New Jersey, he witnessed and adapted to significant transformations within the industry, including the shift from wooden to steel vessels and the evolution of fishing techniques and gear.

This narrator was in his early fifties at the time of the interview. The interviewee is an experienced commercial fisherman from a fishing family with multiple generations involved in the industry. Born and raised in Cape May, the interviewee has been fishing since a young age and learned the trade through practical experience. With a family business focused on fishing, they have been actively involved in the industry, making business decisions and handling bookkeeping responsibilities from a young age.

This narrator is a 45 year old male (at the time of the interview), first-generation fisherman fishing out of Cape May, New Jersey. He was born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1960. He grew up in Wildwood, New Jersey, and moved there with his family in 1970. He comes from a family of four boys and did not have any sisters. Despite not coming from a fishing family, he developed an interest in fishing while living in Wildwood. At the age of 19, the interviewee started working on a Virginia boat as a deckhand, breaking into the fishing industry.

The narrator is a seasoned commercial fisherman in his early 60s who actively fishes out of Barnegat Light, New Jersey. He began his fishing career before the age of 10 and already assumed the role of a mate by the time he was 14. Throughout his journey, he transitioned to become an owner/operator in the early 1970s, taking full control of his fishing operations. In pursuit of viable fishing opportunities, the narrator temporarily relocated to Florida for a period of 10 years from 1989 to 1990.

The interviewee is a 46-year-old male fishing out of Barnegat Light, New Jersey. He started off with his father started as a charter captain, then moved into the tilefish fishery, then on into pelagic longlining (swordfish and tuna). More recently he moved into the scallop fishery

The interviewee is a 41-year-old individual born in Forked River, New Jersey. Coming from a fishing family, his father owned a charter boat and engaged in charter fishing in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. The interviewee has two daughters and a young son, and while the son has yet to express an interest in fishing, the interviewee is open to encouraging him if he chooses to pursue it. The narrator has been involved in commercial fishing since high school, initially working for others before purchasing his own boat in 1992.

The narrator is a semi-retired individual in his mid-60s, residing in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, pursuing fishing as a lifelong endeavor.

This narrator was born and raised in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Despite not coming from a fishing family, he developed a passion for fishing at a young age. The narrator started working for a local fisherman when he was around ten years old, helping with tasks like picking nets and baiting. By the age of twelve, he obtained his own fishing license and began his fishing career. Throughout the interviewee’s fishing career, he primarily focused on gillnetting and fished in various locations, including Point Pleasant and Cape May.

The narrators are two brothers that have fished together for some time. Both individuals were in their mid to late 50s at the time of the interview and were commercial fishermen fishing for scallop out of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. They were born in Newark, New Jersey.  Their father was a party boat captain and both gained their first experience serving as crew on that party boat. They started off fishing on their own for lobster in the 1970's but very quickly turned to scallops.