Frank and Stanley Rando

Location of Interview
Collection Name

Wetland Riders

Description

The folks in the Wetland Riders collection were interviewed in the course of writing the book of that title. “Wetland Riders” was intended to help members of the commercial fishing industry and the general public understand how and why Gulf Coast states in the late 1980s and 1990s were giving exclusive access to key culinary species—such as the red drum and spotted seatrout—to the recreational fishing industry.

Interviewer
Affiliation
Date of Interview
08-01-1990
Transcribers

National Capital Contracting

Audio
Abstract

On August 1, 1990, Robert Fritchey interviewed Frank and Stanley Rando in Bucktown, Louisiana, for an oral history documenting their experiences in local fishing industries. Frank Rando, a lifelong fisherman, began his career in 1936 after finishing grammar school. He worked alongside his father, nicknamed “Sheepshead Frank,” who was known for his innovative sheepshead fishing techniques using a pirogue and pole. Stanley Rando, younger than Frank, contributes insights into later industry practices and environmental changes. The interview covers Frank’s early years fishing for crabs and sheepshead with simple equipment like pirogues and nets, the transition to motorized boats after World War II, and the evolving techniques and economics of fishing. Both narrators describe the impact of local and national events on the fishing community, including the war years, technological advancements, and regulatory changes. They discuss shifts in fish populations, particularly in Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne, and the effects of pollution and overfishing on local ecosystems. Additionally, the interview details the community's social fabric, market practices, and the role of family labor in sustaining fishing operations. 


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