Cumulative Effects in New Jersey Fisheries

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Bonnie McCay, Kevin St. Martin, Grant Murray
  • The "Cumulative Effects and New Jersey Fisheries" Project was funded by the New Jersey Sea Grant College Program, New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. Dr. Bonnie McCay and Dr. Kevin St. Martin of Rutgers University were the principal investigators of this project and interviews were conducted primarily by Dr. Grant Murray (now at Vancouver Island University) and Mike Danko (New Jersey Sea Grant College Program, New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium). These interviews had 2 principal goals: 1) to document the cumulative effects of regulatory change on the people, businesses and communities most directly dependent on New Jersey's fisheries; and 2) to create a history of New Jersey's commercial and recreational fisheries through the oral histories of people involved in them. Identifying information has been stripped from these interviews in order to preserve anonymity. Thanks to the 44 fish harvesters that participated in oral history interviews.

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Anonymous, #22 Cumulative Effects in New Jersey Fisheries

The interviewee, a 58-year-old man born in Cape May in 1947, has spent his entire life in the fishing industry. Coming from a family of fishermen with roots in Norway and Finland, he is a third-generation fisherman. After graduating from high school in 1965, he began fishing full-time and gained experience in various fisheries, including porgies, flounder, yellowtail, and cod. In the early 1970s, he started scalloping as a way to avoid traveling to New England during the summer months. Eventually, he became an owner/operator of his own boats.

Grant Murray, Mike Danko Cape May, NJ Rutgers University
Anonymous, #30 Cumulative Effects in New Jersey Fisheries

The narrator is a fifty-year-old fishermen who has been fishing since the age of seven, accumulating over 43 years of experience. He has engaged in various types of fishing, including seining for bait and porgies, as well as dragging and lobstering. He owned a 65-foot steel boat, which he had operated for approximately thirty years, in partnership with his father.

Grant Murray, Mike Danko Belford, NJ Rutgers University
Anonymous, #7 Cumulative Effects in New Jersey Fisheries

The narrator is a passionate and dedicated individual who has spent the majority of his life immersed in the fishing industry. Born in New Jersey, he completed high school and pursued six months of college, focusing on fisheries, before deciding to follow his true calling and embark on a fishing career. Driven by his deep love for the ocean and the thrill of fishing, he left college to pursue his dream. His journey in the fishing industry began on a head boat, where he gained valuable experience and honed his skills.

Grant Murray, Mike Danko Barnegat Light, NJ Rutgers University
Anonymous, #9 Cumulative Effects in New Jersey Fisheries

This narrator is an experienced commercial fisherman based in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. Born on the island, he  comes from a fishing family. His grandfather was a day clammer for 75 years, and his father was an avid recreational fisherman. Growing up around the water, he developed a strong connection to the fishing industry from an early age. As a teenager, he engaged in various entrepreneurial activities, including selling crabs and working with clams.

Grant Murray, Mike Danko Barnegat Light, NJ Rutgers University