Carl Berg, 26 years old at the time of the interview, is a captain and deckhand on gillnet and crab boats in Sakonnet Point, RI and New Bedford, MA, as well as an oyster farmer and skiff owner-operator in the Sakonnet River. Carl did not grow up in a fishing family, but found his way to fishing as a summer job in high school, fishing full-time since finishing college.

Scope and Content Note

In his interview, Carl reflects on the value of diversifying into aquaculture as a fallback, his concerns about offshore wind farms and regulatory changes, and how knowledge is transferred among captains and deckhands in a continual process of learning. He talks about his early days as a deckhand on a lobster boat and his transition to running gillnetters and crab boats. Carl also mentions his part-time oyster farming venture, which serves as a backup plan in case of changes in federal fisheries quotas or regulations. He obtained a degree in political science and sociology from the University of Rhode Island but found himself drawn to fishing due to the potential for good earnings and his enjoyment of the work. Carl explains the challenges and rewards of fishing, including the variety of species he encounters while gillnetting for monkfish and the hard work required for crabbing. He shares concerns about the impact of windmills on fishing grounds and regulations.

He explains why he felt it was essential to progress to becoming a captain and how age plays a role in the fishing career. Carl emphasizes the significance of having experience on deck before moving into the wheelhouse, as it gives a better understanding of the crew's challenges and makes for a more effective captain. He talks about his crew, mentioning that they are around his age and that he has mostly retained the same crew for gillnetting. When asked about his future plans, Carl expresses his desire to become an owner-operator someday, but he acknowledges that it will depend on regulatory processes and financial feasibility. He is skeptical about some of the regulations and believes that fishing is an industry that attracts people who genuinely love the work, rather than just seeking a job.

"If you do it for a while and you like it, you’re just going to keep doing it. It’s one of those things. If you like fishing, you’re just going to keep fishing... [U]nless I’m living in a dumpster somewhere, roasting stuff over a trashcan fire, I’m probably still going to go fishing."

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