Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Jennifer Sweeney Tookes, Bryan Fluech

  • The goal of the “Fishing Traditions and Fishing Futures” project is to raise awareness of the experiences of commercial fishermen and their changing livelihoods in Georgia by documenting their local fisheries knowledge   and perspectives about the state and fate of Georgia’s commercial fishing industry through the use of oral  histories. Capturing the life stories and experiences of Georgia’s commercial fishermen is especially important since many local communities have depended on the coastal environment for their economic and cultural base  for generations.

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Interviewee Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
James Martin Higgins Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Interview with James Martin Higgins.

 Amber Gosser, Savannah Bell Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Thornell King Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

The interview begins with a brief history of Thornell King's childhood and his father’s involvement in selling fish back in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He then goes on to talk about his brief interest in shrimping and how that eventually led him into the world of jellyballing. He describes his time under his mentor, George Tye, and how Tye eventually gifted him his three boats and his jellyballing company.

 Angelique Jennings, Scott Clark Darien, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Robert David Waters Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Interview with Robert David Waters.

 Ahmauri Williams-Alford, Nompumelelo Hlophe Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
David Anthony Karwacki Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

David "Tony" Karwacki is a seasoned commercial fisherman from Darien, Georgia. Born into a family of fishermen, Tony has been involved in the fishing industry since he was a child. His father, a first-generation fisherman, introduced him to the trade at a young age. Tony recalls standing on a five-gallon bucket to look over the console and drive the boat when he was just five years old. By the age of fourteen, he was already captaining his own boat and pulling his own set of crab traps.

 Danielle Sayre , Erin Scooler Darien, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Brande Bennett Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Brande Bennett is a seasoned shrimper from Brunswick, Georgia. Raised on the deck of a shrimp boat by her father, she spent her childhood weekends, summers, and holidays learning the trade. Her father's influence not only initiated her career in fishing but also shaped her into a headstrong woman. She started earning from a young age by selling crabs and fish. As an adult, she transitioned from working on the boat to managing the payroll and business side of her father's shrimping business.

 Danielle Sayre , Angelique Jennings Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Michael Edwards Vernon Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Interview with Michael Edward Vernon.

 Victoria Barrett, Julia Thomas Valona, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Jonathan Bennett Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Jonathan Bennett is a fifth-generation commercial fisherman from Brantley County in Waynesville, Georgia. Born into a family deeply involved in the shrimping industry, Bennett has been on a boat since he was three years old. His grandfather, who owned his own boats, introduced him to the fishing life, which he describes as a rough and labor-intensive one. Despite the challenges, Bennett took over his own boat at the age of twenty, a decision driven by opportunity and the need to support his family financially.

 Victoria Barrett, Julia Thomas Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Renee Audrey Jones Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Interview with Renee Audrey Jones.

 Victoria Barrett, Julia Thomas Valona, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Lindsey Parker Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Interview with Lindsey Parker.

 Kendra Cooper, Alexis McGhee Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Robert Todd Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Interview with Robert Todd.

 Ahmauri Williams-Alford, Nompumelelo Hlophe , Alexis McGhee Valona, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
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