Ellsworth High School - Maine

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Joyce Whitmore
  • These interviews were conducted as part of Ellsworth High School's participation in the NOAA Fisheries Service  (NMFS) Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project 2003-2005.  All 10th graders participated in this interdisciplinary project that involved English, History, Social Studies, and Biology classes. To read about the LFK Project, go to http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/lfkproject/.

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Steve Robbins Ellsworth High School - Maine

Steve Robbins is a seasoned lobsterman hailing from Ellsworth, Maine. Born in May 1945, he has spent most of his life dedicated to the fishing industry, primarily focusing on lobster fishing. At the time of the interview in May 2005, Steve was sixty years old, with over five decades of experience as a lobsterman.

Caitlin Wood, Lucy Weed-Eaton, Louis Williams Stonington, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
John Crossman Ellsworth High School - Maine

John Crossman has been a lobster fisherman for 23 years, starting in Frenchboro, an island off the coast. John learned fishing from his father. He currently fishes off Bass Harbor, Mount Desert Island, but keeps his fishing spots secret.

Tom Crossman, Aaron Burton, Donald Awalt Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
David Sargent Ellsworth High School - Maine

David Sargent is a lobster fisherman, clam digger, and sea urchin and scallop diver.  Sargent's boat is 22 feet long, and he has 275 traps. He has one additional person who helps with tasks like filling bait bags and cleaning traps. He primarily uses herring and hide as bait, which can be challenging to obtain at certain times of the year.

Kristin Wing, Elizabeth Miller, Danielle Werner Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Danner Curtis Ellsworth High School - Maine

Danner Curtis is a lobsterman based in Blue Hill Bay, Maine. Curtis did not come from a fishing family and was able to start fishing after filling out a Maine state license. There are now permit programs in place, including a student program that allows students to fish 150 traps in the summer as long as they attend college.

Anthony Britt, Amy Dalrymple, Matt Burton, Ben Deckers Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Jim Stanley Ellsworth High School - Maine

Jim Stanley is a lobsterman based in Ellsworth, Maine. Born and raised in the area, Jim comes from a family with a strong fishing background. His stepfathers, brothers, and nephews are all involved in the fishing industry, making it a family tradition. Jim started fishing at the age of thirteen, accompanying his uncle and cousin on fishing trips out of Bartlett's Island. Over time, he developed a passion for lobstering and eventually acquired his own boat, a seventeen-foot vessel that he uses to haul traps.

Morgan MacKenzie, Hollie Stanley, Sally Stanley Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Scott Fuller Ellsworth High School - Maine

Scott Fuller, a former lobstering and scallop fisherman, was born in Maine. He embarked on his fishing career in 1983 and continued until 1987. Growing up in a coastal community, Scott developed an affinity for the sea and its unpredictable nature. His choice to become a fisherman was fueled by a desire to embrace the challenges and rewards that came with the occupation. Although not from a family with a fishing background, Scott was introduced to the trade through an in-law who was already involved in the industry.

Morgan Fuller, Carolyn Frank, Jessica Putnam, Isabel Hopkins, Janeka Haass Bar Harbor, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Jennifer Vose Ellsworth High School - Maine

Jennifer Vose is a naturalist and marine researcher working for the Marine Environmental Research Institute. Based in Blue Hill, Maine, she spends her summers as a naturalist on their boat trips, educating the general public about the local ecology and marine habitat. With a focus on teaching people about the intricacies of the ecosystem, Jennifer's work involves hauling up lobster traps, studying the species caught, and explaining their anatomy, life cycles, and ecological significance. Her aim is to raise awareness about the local environment and promote conservation efforts.

Courtney Ray, Rachael Wing Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Billy Grindle Ellsworth High School - Maine

Billy Grindle, is a fisherman who used to fish for various types of fish from Eastport, Maine to California. He fished for scallops, lobsters, tilefish, butterfish, squid, mackerel, herring, porgies, giant Atlantic bluefin tuna, and oysters. Billy started fishing at the age of seventeen and continued until he was thirty. He owned a forty-foot boat but also worked on larger boats up to a hundred and ten feet. He kept his boat in various locations such as Northeast Harbor, Bass Harbor, Gloucester, Block Island, and Port Clyde.

Brittany Fellis, Eric Folmer, Cameron Dows Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Kip Young Ellsworth High School - Maine

Kip Young is a seasoned lobster fisherman and tuna fisherman hailing from Corea by the Sea, Maine. Born and raised in a coastal town, Kip was drawn to the sea and the fishing industry from a young age. At the age of fourteen, he made the decision to become a lobsterman, primarily because it was the main industry in his town and he found it to be a fun and exciting endeavor.

Edward Bedard, Nicole Austin, Tiffany Corbett, Jessica Albee Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project
Billy Haas Ellsworth High School - Maine

Billy Haas is a lobster fisherman, commercial urchin diver, and scallop diver. He has been involved in these activities for about fifteen years. His daily schedule varies throughout the year. He works for ten months and takes two months off, usually during May and June. During the slow period, he prepares for lobstering, which begins at the end of June.

Shelby Pollack, Sheri Wilder Ellsworth, ME NOAA/NMFS Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project