Christopher Knight, 27 years old at the time of the interview, is a lobster boat deckhand in Matinicus and Spruce Head, ME. As a son and grandson of fishermen, he started fishing in the single digits. Unfortunately, a house fire destroyed the documentation of his student lobstering hours just before he turned eighteen, putting a fulltime commercial lobster license out of reach for him. Despite this setback, Christopher has continued to work as a fulltime fisherman.

Scope and Content Note

In the interview, Knight discusses lobstering and the challenges and joys of being a commercial fisherman. He highlights the family tradition that drew him to the profession and the financial incentives, as lobstering can be a lucrative career choice in the region. He expresses his desire to eventually become a captain and own his own boat, but acknowledges the significant financial and regulatory hurdles he must overcome to achieve that goal. He also touches on the stressors of the job, such as the early mornings, physically demanding work, and the pressure to haul traps quickly to maximize efficiency. Knight predicts that the lobster industry may experience a reduction in fleet size due to the increasing difficulties associated with obtaining licenses and the high startup costs for new fishermen. 

He says, "I just love it. I love going out. It sucks [in winter]. You get up at four o’clock in the morning. It’s cold as hell. You’re making ice out there. It’s not fun. In the summertime, when it’s beautiful out, you got the tunes jamming, you’re cranking out. That’s what we live for. Seeing those traps come up full. It’s like drinking a cup of coffee. You’re all of a sudden ready to go again. That’s why we do it."