Working Waterfront Festival

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Alan Cass The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Alan Cass, a 60-year-old male, is a retired fisherman with a diverse ethnic background of English, Irish, and Portuguese heritage. He spent his career as a fisherman based in the home port of New Bedford, where he primarily engaged in scalloping. Alan has a deep connection to the sea and has experienced various aspects of the fishing industry, from working on fishing vessels to being involved in the fishermen's union. Over the years, he has navigated through challenging conditions, weathered fishermen's strikes, and witnessed significant changes in fishing technology and regulations.

Janice Gadaire Fleuriel New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Alan James The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Bio: Alan James, known as AJ, was born on May 29, 1955, in New London, Connecticut. He grew up in foster homes in the Woonsocket, Rhode Island area and later moved back to Connecticut. AJ is a male of White ethnicity and is currently 57 years old. He has worked as a cook and deckhand on the F/V Apollo, a commercial fishing vessel based in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Madeleine Hall-Arber New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Alan Wheeler Fishtales

Mr. Wheeler shares two stories from his life as a fisherman and the son of a fisherman.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Albert M. Bruce, III Fishtales

Mr. Bruce tells the story of when his family was fishing in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, during a family vacation.

 

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Amanda Wright The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Amanda Wright is a lobster sternman with over 22 years of experience in the fishing industry. She primarily operates out of Newport, Rhode Island, and has also worked in Wickford and various locations across the state. Amanda's journey into lobstering began after moving to Rhode Island from Princeton, New Jersey, and exploring other career paths like pottery and scalloping. Her dedication to the fishing trade has led her to become an integral part of the industry.

Janice Gadaire Fleuriel New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Amelia Bailey Fishtales

Ms. Bailey tells about the various fish she has caught while recreational fishing.

 

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Amy Van Atten The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Amy Van Atten, born in 1968 in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a dedicated professional in the field of marine conservation. Growing up as the oldest of five children, Amy aspired to study whaling and marine mammals, particularly focusing on the impacts of whaling and the reasons behind it. Over time, her passion evolved to include fisheries and accidental interactions between marine mammals and fishing activities.

Janice Gadaire Fleuriel New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Angela Sanfilippo The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Ms. Sanfilippo, from an Italian fishing family, lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She is the Executive Director of the Gloucester Fisherman's Wives Association, an advocacy group for the fishing industry. Born in the fishing village of Porticello in Sicily, Angela acquired substantial knowledge from her grandfather about boat technologies and weather patterns. 

Janice Gadaire Fleuriel New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Anita Best The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Anita Best, born in 1948, is a female singer hailing from St. John’s, Newfoundland. Raised on Merasheen Island and later moving to St. John’s, she grew up in a family deeply connected to the fishing trade. Her father and brothers were fishermen, and she was immersed in the seasonal aspects of fishing and fish processing.

Millie Rahn New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival
Ann Jardin-Maynard The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Ann Jardin-Maynard works in the settlement business within the fishing industry. Born in New Bedford in 1962 to European American parents of Azorean descent, she grew up in a community rich in Portuguese heritage, particularly in the south end of New Bedford. After completing her college education, she became involved in the fishing industry by taking an accounting job at Kevin Dawson's firm in 1985. She eventually became a partner in the business in 1988. Her work involves various aspects of financial management for boat owners and their corporations.

Janice Gadaire Fleuriel New Bedford, MA Working Waterfront Festival