Galon "Skip" Barlow is a retired shellfisherman and seafood restaurant owner from Buzzards Bay Village, Bourne, Massachusetts. Born into a family with a long history dating back to the 1600s in Cape Cod, Skip's lineage includes sea captains and notorious figures. His father, a navy veteran and canal pilot, instilled in him a love for the coastal habitat and shellfishing from a young age. Skip began his career in shellfishing in his early teens, learning the trade from his father. However, after realizing the difficulty of the profession, he returned to school.

Mike Bruce is a fifty-year-old commercial fisherman based in New Bedford. He was born in New Bedford on April 15, 1956, to parents who emigrated from Newfoundland in the 1940s. His father was also a fisherman, continuing a family tradition that dates back to the 1600s. Bruce is of Canadian (New Foundland), Irish, and Scottish descent. He has served in various roles on fishing vessels, including as a skipper and a mate. Bruce is currently considering retiring from the fishing industry due to the prevalence of drug use among the available crew members.

Hans Davidson is a retired commercial fisherman from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born and raised in a fishing family, Davidson began his career in the industry in 1974 and retired in 2004. He started as a shacker, a newcomer to the industry, and worked his way up to the position of captain. Throughout his career, Davidson worked on several vessels including the Florence B, the Dolphin, the Ambassador, and the Edgartown. He also spent time as a mate on the Eagle.

Roland Gailitis was born in Raga, Latvia, in 1936. At the age of three, the Russians occupied Latvia, and Roland and his family lived under their rule for a year. Then, during World War II, the Germans took over Latvia until November 1944. In order to escape the turbulent situation in Latvia, Roland's family embarked on a perilous journey to Sweden in an 18-foot whaling boat with 18 people, including children. They lived in Sweden for 3.5 years until the Russians demanded the return of Latvians to their own country.

Geno Leech is a seasoned fisherman and poet hailing from Chinook, Washington. Born in Oregon City, Oregon, Geno's early life was far removed from the sea, with his family involved in farming in the Midwest. However, a chance encounter with a merchant seaman during a hitchhiking adventure sparked his interest in seafaring. He obtained his seaman's papers and embarked on his first voyage on a T-2 Tanker in December 1969. Over the years, Geno has served on almost every type of vessel, from merchant steamers to draggers, drawing inspiration from his experiences at sea to fuel his poetry.

Jennifer Mitchell, also known as Jennifer Demalo, is part of the Mitchell family business. She grew up in New Bedford and attended Bishop Stang High School before graduating from Emmanuel College. Initially working as a business manager at a preschool in Boston, Jennifer joined the family business after her father asked her to work with him. She has been involved in bookkeeping and similar administrative tasks. Jennifer has been with the business for around eight years and is married with two children.

John Reardon is a former fisherman turned General Manager for IMP Fishing Gear Limited in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, MA, Reardon entered the fishing industry in the early 1980s, starting out on a dragger and retiring from fishing in 1999. He began working for IMP Fishing Gear, also known as Industrial Marine Products, in November of 1999. The company, which started out selling fishing gear in Newfoundland, now has 15 branches in Canada and the United States.

Manuel “Manny” Vinagre, a retired fisherman and boat owner, was born on December 17, 1940, in Buarcos, a village in Figueira da Foz, Portugal. He began working on the water at the age of 8, unloading sardine boats in his hometown. Manny comes from a long line of fishermen, including his father, grandfather, and uncle. His father tragically lost his life at sea while on a Gloucester dragger. Manny spent ten years fishing as part of the Portuguese “White Fleet,” dory fishing for cod off the coast of Newfoundland.

Edward Barrett is a seasoned commercial fisherman with over three decades of experience in the fishing industry. Born in Boston in 1955, Barrett grew up in the coastal town of Marshfield, Massachusetts, where he was exposed to the ocean and fishing from an early age. His first role models in the industry were his older cousin and his friends, who were involved in mossing. Barrett's career in fishing began after he completed college. He initially worked as a sternman and crewman on boats before attending a fishing school at the University of Rhode Island.

Bernice Calnan, a resilient and dedicated woman, has spent her life closely intertwined with the fishing community of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born and raised in a fishing family, Bernice has carried on the traditions and values of the maritime lifestyle through her roles as a fisherman's daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. Her connection to the ocean and the fishing industry runs deep, shaping her experiences and outlook. As the daughter of a boat cook on the dragger F/V Adventurer, Bernice grew up in the heart of the fishing world.