David Martins

Location of Interview
Collection Name

The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Description

The Working Waterfront Festival Community  Documentation Project is an ongoing oral history project documenting the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project was begun in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, education celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals  from other ports around the country. Folklorist and    Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar/Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are Project Leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.

Date of Interview
09-23-2006
Transcribers

Laura Orleans

Transcript
Biographical Sketch

Dave Martins is a 35-year-old fisheries technician at SMAST (School for Marine Science and Technology) based in New Bedford. He was born on October 22, 1971, at Saint Annes Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Azorean/Portuguese parents who immigrated from the island of Saint Michael in the Azores, Portugal. Despite his family not being directly involved in fishing, it was a significant part of their life, both for recreation and home consumption. Martins' work involves collecting and analyzing data to understand trends in fish stocks, with a particular focus on cod, haddock, and scallops.

Scope and Content Note:
This oral history interview with Dave Martins, conducted by Janice Fleuriel on September 23, 2006, at the Working Waterfront Festival in New Bedford, provides insights into Martins' personal background, his work as a fisheries technician, and his perspectives on the state of fish stocks. Martins discusses his Azorean/Portuguese heritage, his family's connection to fishing, and his work in fisheries science at SMAST. He shares his observations on the current regulations and their impact on fish stocks, expressing surprise at the slow rebuilding of cod stocks despite the regulations in place since the mid-1990s. Martins also discusses the importance of long-term data collection in understanding trends and potential factors affecting fish stocks, including possible wastewater issues. The interview includes anecdotes from Martins' experiences in the field, including close calls for injuries and coping with bad weather.


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