Flo Sharkey, a dedicated baywoman from Long Island, comes from a family deeply rooted in the fishing and shellfishing industry. She proudly represents the fourth generation of her family working the bay. Flo's journey in the industry began at a young age, treading alongside her father. As she has grown older, she has developed a preference for scratch raking. She attributes her extensive knowledge and skills to the guidance of her father and brother.

Scope and Content Note
Flo explains the treading method, which involves walking backward and feeling around with her foot. She prides herself on being able to identify live clams from dead ones about 90 percent of the time. Flo primarily clams for wild clams, as they are not cultivated in the bay. She discusses the different names given to clams, noting that everything is considered a "neck" except for cherrystones. Flo believes that scratch raking is not something one can simply learn by going out alone; it requires someone to teach you. She uses her father's turtle rake, a design he created. While she initially disliked scratch raking, she has grown to enjoy it. Flo shares insights about using stilts during scratch raking, highlighting that the ideal water depth for raking is waist deep. Flo exclusively clams overboard and avoids clamming from the boat. She looks for wetlands and mosquito ditches, which are ideal locations to find killies. Flo mentions the importance of following the clammers' code of ethics and the territorial nature of clamming, with people becoming upset if someone encroaches on their work area. Due to the competitive nature of clamming, earning fifty percent of your wages from clamming is necessary to obtain a license. Flo reflects on the changing dynamics in the industry, noting that in the past, many clammers were college students earning money to support their education. However, regulations now require clams to be sold within one hour of docking. As she has grown older, she has come to appreciate the significance of preserving family traditions. Flo's father wanted them to be self-sufficient and capable of taking care of themselves while working on the bay. She speaks of her brother teaching her son the art of razor clamming, continuing the family tradition. However, Flo expresses concern about the future of the bay, believing it won't be there for the next generation. She mentions the impact of water quality on clamming, with many clammers exposed to diseases from the water. Flo also laments the destruction of wetlands, which act as natural filters to keep the water clean. Flo reminisces about the bay's past, where thousands of people worked as baymen. Nowadays, seeing two clammers at once is considered a lot. She recalls a time when baymen would help one another, emphasizing the sense of community that has been lost. In winter, Flo engages in oystering on the North Shore, a different way of life compared to clamming. She mentions the bureaucratic processes involved in selling clams to buyers. Knowing the bay's best spots and working with the tides is crucial for scratch rakers and treaters. Despite the challenges and sometimes questioning why she chose this livelihood, Flo describes her life on the bay as hard yet fulfilling. She proudly identifies herself as a bayperson. When asked what she would tell others about working on the bay, Flo states, "It's a hard life, it's a fun life, and you have to love it to do it." She concludes by emphasizing the importance of taking care of the bay to mitigate environmental consequences and expresses skepticism about clam seeding ever replacing the natural sets of clams.