Al Cottone
Strengthening Community Resilience in America’s Oldest Seaport
In partnership with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, these oral history recordings capture the invaluable life experiences of long-lived members of Gloucester's working waterfront, one of the oldest fishing communities in the United States.
On August 2, 2019, Molly Graham interviewed Albert Cottone for the Strengthening Community Resilience in America’s Oldest Seaport project. Al Cottone, born on December 12, 1965, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to a Sicilian immigrant family, is a lifelong fisherman deeply connected to Gloucester's fishing traditions. His father, Frank Cottone, migrated from post-World War II Sicily to Australia and eventually to the United States, where he continued his fishing career. Al Cottone followed in his father’s footsteps, starting to fish at a young age and eventually taking over the family business. Cottone discusses his father’s migration and early struggles in establishing himself in Gloucester’s fishing community, highlighting the economic hardships and community dynamics that shaped his experiences. He reflects on the evolution of fishing gear, the introduction of regulations, and the impacts these changes have had on the industry, particularly the effects of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and subsequent amendments. Cottone also shares his frustrations with the regulatory environment, especially the disconnect between scientific assessments and the realities observed by fishermen. As the executive director of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission, Cottone advocates for the fishing community, striving to balance the industry's needs with the challenges posed by regulations and environmental changes.
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