Anthony Gross was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1952, and moved to Gloucester as a child. As a teenager, he worked at the Empire Fish Company, where Anthony's father was General Manager. At 18, Anthony began lobstering on a 16-foot skiff and crewed on a local tub trawler. Then, at 20, he began offshore lobster fishing and worked his way up from cook to engineer and first mate. When Anthony turned 22, he served on a tallow tanker, the "Y/O Olive Oyl," that carried tallow from Miami to Honduras and Guatemala. When he retired from Central America, Tony purchased the F/V Patti Lee, which he owned and captained for three years. After Tony sold the Patti Lee, he fished on various dayboats and offshore vessels for the next six years. During that time, he served as a deckhand, cook, engineer, mate, and on occasion captain. From 1986 to 2001, Tony took a break from fishing to help raise his family. In 2001, Mr. Gross rejoined the fishing community with the purchase of a 25-foot lobster boat and permit. In 2005, he upgraded to a 35-foot vessel with a groundfish jigging permit. In March of 2019, Tony retired from fishing.

Scope and Content Note

Anthony Gross discusses his family history, mentioning that his father was born to immigrant parents from Germany and Ireland. The family later moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts, when Anthony was three years old because his father was offered a managerial role at Empire Fish Company. Gross delves into his decision to work at his father's company after graduating from high school and his evolving role after his father's passing. He talks about his experience working in the freezer, packing frozen fish and competing with other workers to beat the freezing process. He also talks about his foray into lobstering and tub trawling, which involved catching groundfish like cod, haddock, and halibut. Regarding his offshore lobstering experience, Gross mentions going to Georges Bank and the canyons, sometimes staying out at sea for four or five days. He also discusses the crew he worked with while lobstering offshore. He describes them as fellow anglers, some college-educated, and all dedicated to working hard. The conversation touches on the fluctuating lobster catch and the potential for good earnings. 

Gross also discusses his experiences working on a tallow tanker and later on a salvage tug in Central America. He mentions the death of the captain on the salvage tug and his role as the boss of the Guatemalan deck crew. He goes on to describe his return to Gloucester and his subsequent fishing experiences, including his participation in Scottish seine net fishing. He describes the Scottish seine netting technique and its environmentally friendly nature. Gross mentions the change in regulations that required Scottish seine nets to operate at least three miles offshore due to the impact on fish populations near the shore. 

Gross talks about his experience as a stay-at-home dad and his transition back to work in the wastewater industry and later as a home inspector. He shares his decision to return to lobster fishing and the challenges he faced, including overcrowding and changes in gear and technology. Anthony mentions the boom cycle of lobster populations and the concerns of fellow lobstermen about regulations and their livelihoods. He reveals that he recently retired from fishing and sold his business to his former crewman. Finally, he mentions his role as a member of the Gloucester school board and his responsibilities as secretary and chairman of the Building and Finance Subcommittee.