Sector Management in New England

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Lisa L. Colburn
  • This project documents fishery management related changes in individuals, households, and communities in New England.

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
John Jeffrey Good Sector Management in New England

Jeff Good, a 54-year-old fisherman from Plymouth, Massachusetts, has been fishing since he was 16 years old, beginning on a boat originally purchased by his older brother. In the years since, he has done all types of fishing including inshore and offshore fishing in most all fisheries except lobster and he hasn't done hook fishing. He currently fishes without any crew and feels this is the only way he can make it financially. Mr.

Samantha Sperry Plymouth, MA NOAA
Niles Pearsall Sector Management in New England

Niles Pearsall, 44, is a commercial fisherman out of Point Judith, Rhode Island. He began fishing after high school and now fishes for groundfish or squid up to 100 miles south of New England. He is a member of Sector 5. He believes that sectors are a good idea, but that everyone needs more quota. Sector management has led to rifts in the fishing community, largely as a result of the disparity in quota allocation. Mr. Pearsall believes that his quality of life is the same, due in part to his wife's income which has made up for his loss in income.

Azure Cygler Narragansett, RI NOAA
Christopher Hickman Sector Management in New England

Chris Hickman, 63, is a commercial fisherman out of Hatteras, North Carolina. Mr. Hickman began fishing in the 1970's after retiring from farming; his grandfather was a fisherman in the early 1900's. He currently fishes for monkfish and a variety of other species using a gillnet inshore along the east coast in New England. Mr. Hickman has been in the commonpool in New England since sectors began; sector management is not in place in North Carolina. He feels that sector management is not the right management strategy and would abolish it given the opportunity.

Azure Cygler Hatteras, NC NOAA
Eric Reid Sector Management in New England

Eric Reid, 54, is a seafood wholesaler and former commercial fisherman in Point Judith, Rhode Island. He began fishing when he was a boy, with his uncles who were, in his words, "artisanal fishermen"; he began working on deck on a party boat at age 12 and got his captain's license at age 19. Since that time he has worked on a multitude of different boats in many different fisheries.

Samantha Sperry Point Judith, RI NOAA
James Keding Sector Management in New England

Jim Keding is a 42-year-old fisherman; he currently captains a commercial fishing vessel out of Plymouth, Massachusetts. This vessel, the Mystic, fishes inshore for groundfish and is in sector 10. Jim serves as the sector's Vice President. He began fishing at age 14, in 1987; he chose fishing simply because he lived near the Plymouth fishing docks, and his cousin was the only one who fished in his family. Prior to captaining the Mystic, he owned and operated his own vessels.

Samantha Sperry Plymouth, MA NOAA
Philip Ruhle Jr. Sector Management in New England

Phil Ruhle, 37, is a commercial fisherman out of Point Judith, Rhode Island. His grandfather began fishing in the 1950s; his father and uncles also fished and his children now fish with him on occasion. He fishes for a broad variety of fish using a dragger, catching predominantly groundfish inshore in recent years. He is a member of the Sustainable Harvest Sector and is on the Board of Directors; his father, along with other fishermen, began developing the Sustainable Harvest Sector even prior to 2010 when sectors were put in place throughout New England. Mr.

Azure Cygler Narragansett, RI NOAA
Judy Keding Sector Management in New England

Judy Keding, 49, is the wife of commercial fisherman Jim Keding, out of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Mrs. Keding does not come from a fishing background; her husband has been fishing since he was 17, before they met. Mr. Keding currently captains a dragger that he does not own, generally targeting inshore codfish. He has been a member of sector 10 since sector management began though he has had to sell his two vessels and leases his low quota; Mrs. Keding works as a substitute teacher to supplement income. Mrs.

Samantha Sperry Plymouth, MA NOAA
Angela Sanfilippo Sector Management in New England

Angela Sanfilippo, 62, lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts and serves as the President of Gloucester's Fishermen's Wives. Her husband was a commercial fisherman who lost his boat due to a fire and now works for on a charter boat because they knew it'd be too risky to re-invest in fishing; she does have a brother and other family members that are involved in sectors. Mrs. Sanfilippo works very hard to assist with commercial fisheries, whether through helping fishermen gain health insurance or by working in the permit bank.

Azure Cygler Gloucester, MA NOAA
Edward Barrett Sector Management in New England

Edward Barrett, 56, is a fisherman out of Plymouth, Massachusetts. He began fishing in high school, purchased his first boat in 1979, and has worked as an inshore mobile gear fisherman for the past 15 years. He has been a member of sector 10 since sector management began and serves as the President of Sector 10, as well as staying actively involved in the fisheries community. Mr. Barrett views sectors negatively, and especially views catch shares as significantly cost prohibitive for small boats. Since sectors began, Mr.

Samantha Sperry Brewer, ME NOAA
Jon Knight Sector Management in New England

Jon Knight, 52, is the owner of Superior Trawl, a fishing gear designer and builder, in Galilee/Point Judith, Rhode Island. He began as a commercial fisherman and was drawn to working with nets. He began working for various gear shops and attended the University of Rhode Island, receiving both a technical degree in fisheries and later a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He owns and operates Superior Trawl and is involved in cooperative research, in an effort to improve selectivity in fisheries.

Azure Cygler Narragansett, RI NOAA