Elizabeth Nozicka-Pennisi
Voices of the Bay
In The Capturing the Voices of the Bay Education Program, students take responsibility for their own learning experience as they research, plan, and conduct personal interviews, first with each other and then with citizens of the community, to capture the rich stories, traditions, and knowledge that define Monterey’s fishing legacy. This place-based learning experience allows students the opportunity to deeply explore the historic, economic, environmental, and cultural dimensions of their particular “place” in the world and, perhaps more importantly, how all these dimensions inter-connect through the lives of those who live and work in the region.
Elizabeth Nozicka is not a fisherman but comes from a fishing family in Monterey and her family is greatly involved in commercial fishing over all over the world. Majority of her family and ancestors are from Sicily, while her husband is from Czech Republic. Mrs. Noricka shares the difficulties that her family suffered and still faces in the fishing industry especially with regulations and marine protected areas. Also, she explains how frustrating and difficult it is to stay in commercial fishing with regulations changing all the time. With the constant changing of regulations her family must always have the proper documents in order to go out and keep the fish they catch. On the side, she shares her family's history, stories, losses, and joyous moments. Even with the difficulties her family works together to keep their business a success and enjoyable for the next generation.
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