In this interview, LaVerne Gomes begins by speaking about growing up in Wareham, Massachusetts, before moving to New Bedford, where she was raised by a single mother in a large Cape Verdean family. After dropping out of school at the age of 16, she pursued work in the Frionor Kitchen in New Bedford, where she worked in the cold fish house for 27 years, preparing frozen fish as it came off the conveyor belt.

In this interview, Miguel Sanchez explores his experience in the fishing industry, beginning with his journey of jumping ship from a Cuban fishing boat into a Canadian boat while he was a young law student to escape political dictatorship. He then speaks about living in Nova Scotia for years without his family before immigrating to America to work in the netting and rigging department of Reidar’s Trawl-Scallop Gear and Marine Supply in New Bedford, MA.

Pantaleón Tono Tono, an experienced welder, originally from Guatemala, as part of the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center (NBFHC) oral history project "Casting a Wider Net.” Pantaleón was born in Aguilix in the village of Chujuyub, municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché department, Guatemala. Pantaleón recounts his difficult life path, from a childhood marked by poverty and limited education.

In this interview, Silvina “Sal” Sequeira speaks about immigrating from Cape Verde to Portugal as a child with his family and then from Portugal to the United States with his wife as an adult. He discusses his luck in having the opportunity to learn how to weld, which helped him obtain the job he has held as an industrial welder for 27 years at Blue Fleet Welding in New Bedford, MA. He talks about how physically demanding his job is but also notes that he relishes the challenges and is happiest when his work requires a variety of skills and knowledge.