Fishtales

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Laura Orleans, Patricia Pinto da Silva
  • Fishtales was a collaborative effort between the Working Waterfront Festival and the Social Services Branch of the Northeast Fisheries Science of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Fishermen and others connected to the working waterfront who attended the 2012 and 2013 Working Waterfront Festival in New Bedford were invited to share short stories on a variety of topics such as storms, close calls, unusual catches, workplace pranks, tales from the home front, and more. Project leaders were Laura Orleans and Patricia Pinto da Silva.

Interviewee Collection Sort ascending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Paul Costa Fishtales

Paul Costa recounts his short lived career as a recreational fisherman.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Isa Najjar Fishtales

Mr. Najjar grew up in Nantucket and New Bedford. He tells stories of fishing off Sconset Beach in Nantucket and of his Cape Verdean family heritage.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Len Tchorz Fishtales

Len Tchorz was a fisherman for thirty-five years, worked for the Steamship Authority, and worked on a tug boat. He tells how he began in the industry and nicknames of those men who worked on the waterfront. He tells about his second trip which ended when his fishing vessel ran into an ocean liner in the fog.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Richard Dubowik Fishtales

Mr. Dubowik is a third generation fisherman from New Bedford. He tells a bit about his time as a fisherman, how he came to be a fisherman, and a close call at sea.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Thomas O'Shaughnessy Fishtales

Thomas O'Shaughnessy recounts the time he drift dived off Molokini in Hawaii.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
James Tomasia Fishtales

James Tomasia was born in the Azores and immigrated to the United States when he was a boy. He talks about his life growing up, how he became a lumper, what a lumper does, and about the changes he has seen.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
James Dwyer, Jr. Fishtales

Jimmy Dwyer has been a lumper in New Bedford since 1960. He talks about his work as a lumper, his connection with a vessel lost at sea, his very short fishing career, and the nicknames of those on the New Bedford waterfront.

Ace Elijah-Burgess New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Peter Olson Fishtales

Mr. Olson tells of his days fishing with gill nets, lobstering in the 1960's and 1970's and his first lobster boat.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
Richard Violino Fishtales

Mr. Violino tells the story of a radio transmission he overheard on the Cape Cod Canal.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival
George Edwards Fishtales

Mr. Edwards tells the story of a time his father was thought lost at sea.

Markham Starr New Bedford, MA Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA, Working Waterfront Festival