Dr. Doug Wolfe, a highly accomplished scientist, dedicated several years of his career to the Beaufort Laboratory, making significant contributions as a Chemist/Fishery Biologist. Born and raised in Ohio, he nurtured a deep fascination for the natural world from a young age. Doug pursued his academic aspirations at Ohio State University, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Zoology and later a Graduate degree in Biochemistry. In 1964, Doug joined the Beaufort Lab.

Ann Rose grew up in Harkers Island, NC where her father, Chief Ira Lewis, served in the Coast Guard. Her family lived in New York for a period while her father worked at various lifeboat stations, and they later resided at Montauk Lighthouse. After her father's retirement, they returned to Harkers Island, where Ann met her husband and started working at the Beaufort Lab in 1962 where she was employed as an Editorial Assistant until 1995. 

Scope and Content Note

• Born in Beaufort, NC; raised on Pivers Island (site of the Beaufort Laboratory)
• Herb’s father, Dr. Herbert Prythrech, was Director of the Beaufort Laboratory, 1933-1949
• Graduated from East Carolina University and also served in the US Army
• Worked for the NMFS, formerly the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, as a port agent and fishery reporting specialist in TX, SC, GA, and Miami; retired from NMFS in 1994

Dr. John V. Merriner, originally from Winchester, Virginia, has dedicated his career to the field of fisheries. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Rutgers University in 1964. John pursued higher education at North Carolina State University, where he earned both his Master's degree in 1967 and his Ph.D. in Fisheries in 1973. From 1970 to 1982, John was employed at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. In 1982, he joined the staff at the NMFS Beaufort Laboratory, taking on the role of Fisheries Division Chief.

• John grew up in Pennsylvania and received his Master’s degree in the early 1950s from Bucknell University
• He worked for about five years in the early 1950s as an oyster biologist for the State of Maryland near Annapolis
• He was hired as a fishery biologist with the Radiobiological Laboratory at the Beaufort Laboratory in 1955
• Retired from the Beaufort Laboratory in 1975
• John was 98 years old when he recorded this interview

Dr. Gordon Thayer, a renowned Fishery Biologist, has made substantial contributions to the field of fisheries research and management. He obtained a Master's degree from the University of Delaware and later pursued his Ph.D. at North Carolina State University. In 1968, Gordon joined the Beaufort Lab, where he dedicated over three decades to the study of fisheries. Gordon was instrumental in establishing the Seagrass Program at the Beaufort Laboratory in the late 1960s, contributing to the preservation and conservation of seagrass habitats. Dr.

• Raised in Maryland.
• Received her Bachelor’s and Graduate degrees in the 1970s from the University of Maryland at College Park, the latter under Dr. Eugenie Clark.
• While at College Park she volunteered at the Smithsonian and worked for Dr.

• Doug was born and raised in Carteret County, North Carolina.  Growing up, Doug worked on menhaden boats with his Uncle Wiley and on charter boats in Morehead City.
• Doug attended East Carolina University in Greenville, NC.
• Doug was hired as a fisheries technician at the Beaufort Laboratory in 1965. 

Dr. Pat Tester, a respected figure in the field of oceanography, has dedicated her career to studying and understanding marine ecosystems. Growing up in Oklahoma, her love for the natural world led her to pursue a Bachelor's Degree at California State University at Sonoma in 1972. Seeking further specialization, she obtained her Master's Degree in Oceanography from Oregon State University in 1976 and went on to complete her Ph.D. in the same field at OSU in 1983. In 1976, Dr.

Stan, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, developed an interest in the natural world from an early age. This passion led him to pursue higher education, and in 1962, he received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri. Stan continued his academic journey and obtained his Master's degree from the University of Delaware in 1964. In 1965, Stan came to work for the Beaufort Laboratory, where he made significant contributions to the field of marine ecology. Initially employed with the Menhaden Program, he played a crucial role in managing fishery-dependent data collection.