Alan Cass

The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project
This project documents the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project began in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, educational celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals from other ports around the country. Folklorist and Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar and Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are project leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.
Janice Gadaire Fleuriel
On September 27, 2008, Janice Gadaire Fleuriel interviewed Alan Cass as part of 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 shares his experiences, from working on fishing vessels, his involvement in the Alaskan fishing industry in the early 1970s, and 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. Alan's experiences extend beyond fishing, including boat delivery work to locations like Galveston, Bequi, and Haiti. Throughout the interview, Alan discusses the intricate details of the fishing trade, his work as a captain managing a crew, and his love and connection to the water.
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