Paul Swain is a retired auctioneer, lumper, and government worker who has spent his entire life associated with the fishing industry. His father was a fisherman from Newfoundland, and Swain followed in his footsteps, working in various roles on the waterfront. He spent 40 years with the National Marine Fisheries Service before retiring 10 years ago. Swain has held a variety of jobs on the waterfront, including painting, lumping, icing, and working for the Federal government. Jim Dwyer is a lumper and the head of the Lumper's Union.

Richard Pasquill is a successful seafood restaurant owner and manager based in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Born in Fairhaven, Pasquill comes from a Canadian (Newfoundland) background. His family has a long history in the fishing industry, with his father being a well-known figure in the New Bedford fishing community.

Diane Flynn is a female inshore shellfisher and clam shack owner from Bourne, Massachusetts. She was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, but grew up in Bourne. Flynn has been involved in the fishing industry for over twenty-seven years, having entered the industry through her partner. She and her partner operate small boats for inshore fishing in Bourne, Massachusetts. Flynn's work involves not only fishing but also culling and packing clams. Over the years, she has seen the industry evolve and has witnessed the challenges faced by young people trying to enter the industry.

Theodore (Ted) Pedersen is a retired fisherman of Norwegian descent, born in Norway and later immigrated to the United States. He spent his career as a scalloper, working out of home ports in Brooklyn, New York, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Despite his father and grandfather both losing their lives at sea, Pedersen pursued a career in fishing, starting in scalloping with his father. He worked in various roles throughout his career, including deckhand, mate, and skipper. Pedersen retired in 1980 after 41 years in the industry.

Phil Ashworth is a 49-year-old former fisherman of European American descent, residing in Dartmouth, Massachusetts]. He was born and raised primarily in New Bedford and its surrounding areas. Ashworth comes from a family with a rich history in the city of New Bedford. His grandfather served as the chief of police in the 1950s and 60s, and his father was a fisherman and a state trooper. Ashworth himself has a deep connection with the sea, having spent a significant part of his life as a fisherman.

Roland Gailitis was born in Raga, Latvia, in 1936. At the age of three, the Russians occupied Latvia, and Roland and his family lived under their rule for a year. Then, during World War II, the Germans took over Latvia until November 1944. In order to escape the turbulent situation in Latvia, Roland's family embarked on a perilous journey to Sweden in an 18-foot whaling boat with 18 people, including children. They lived in Sweden for 3.5 years until the Russians demanded the return of Latvians to their own country.

Susan Petersen is an anthropologist who has dedicated a significant portion of her career to studying the fishing industry in Massachusetts. She moved to the state in 1973, shortly after earning her PhD from the University of Hawaii. Petersen began her research at the Woods Hole Oceanographic, where she sought to understand the structure of the fishing industry, including boat ownership, financial structures, and the impact of fish stocks on the industry's health.

Ms. Blount, president of the Blount shipbuilding business, speaks about her involvement in the fishing industry and pressures on the business from waterfront development.

Patricia Gerrior is a retired fisheries biologist with a career spanning over 35 years in the federal government. She has worked extensively in New Bedford and has seen significant changes in the field over the years. Gerrior has been involved in various aspects of fisheries science, including the Fisheries Observer Program, regulations, stock cycles/declines, and marine mammal/right whales research. She has also worked with the commercial shipping industry. Gerrior has been a strong advocate for women in the field, facing and overcoming discrimination during her career.

Jim Ruhle is a third-generation fisherman from Long Island, New York, born in 1948. He spent most of his life in Wanchese, North Carolina, where he continued his family's fishing tradition. Ruhle has two sons, one of whom works with him full-time, and the other part-time, making them the fourth generation in this fishing lineage. Ruhle's family has a rich history in the fishing industry, with his father pioneering the longline swordfish fishery in North Carolina. Ruhle has worked on various fishing boats, including a ninety-foot steel boat he now owns.