Gary Shepherd is a research fishery biologist with the Coastal Pelagic Resources Task in the Population Dynamics Branch of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. He started working for NMFS as a summer student aide in 1975 as a college freshman at UMass Dartmouth and did work-study in the Age and Growth Unit during his senior year. He went to Rutgers for graduate school where he conducted research on weakfish and striped bass populations.

Gladden Schrock is a multifaceted individual with a diverse professional background. He has established himself as a herring fisherman, author, and playwright. His life's work has been significantly influenced by his experiences in the herring stop-seine fishery, which he began in the 1960s. Schrock's career has been rooted in South Bristol, Maine, where he has witnessed and contributed to the evolution of coastal life. His insights extend beyond fishing to encompass the sociocultural transformations within his community, including the interactions with Amish and Mennonite groups.

Gordon Waring was born on July 19, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York. He earned his B.A. in Biology from Humboldt State College, his Master’s from Bridgewater State College, and his Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Waring began working for NOAA in 1973 and is a retired former team leader of the seal project within the Protected Species Branch at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

James Crossen was born in Boston in 1926 and served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. This experience helped him during the 1,200+days he was at sea during his long career. He began his career in 1955 with the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries which later became the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Jason Link is Senior Scientist for Ecosystem-based Management for the National Marine Fisheries Service, still sitting at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole. Dr. Link earned his B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Central Michigan University. He then received his Ph.D. from Michigan Technological University. He began his career with NOAA NMFS at the Pascagoula Lab before moving to the Woods Hole Lab.

Jay Burnett was born in 1948 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Boston University, and his bachelor’s degree in Fisheries as well as his master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He spent his career in the Age and Growth Unit, ten years as the head. He participated in many survey cruises throughout the years. Mr. Burnett retired from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in 2010.

Interview with spotter pilot Jonathan Mayhew of Chilmark, MA. Interview contains information on fish spotting, flying, regulations, swordfish and bluefin tuna.

Kelo Pinkham is a seasoned fisherman with deep roots in the fishing industry, tracing his family's involvement back through generations. His career spans various facets of the industry, including flounder, cod, shrimp, and lobster fishing, primarily in the Gulf of Maine and the Sheepscot River. Pinkham's mother contributed to the family's fishing legacy by working in a fish processing plant. Throughout his career, Pinkham has witnessed significant shifts in fishing practices, the introduction of regulations, and the fluctuation of fish populations.

Linda Despres was born in Brunswick, Maine and grew up on her father’s boat with her brothers learning about tuna fishing and how to navigate the sea. This ignited a passion for marine wildlife as well as being outdoors exploring nature. She graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in zoology with a minor in wildlife biology. She began working at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in 1973.  She logged over 1,200 days at sea on the Albatross IV as well as many days at sea on foreign fleet vessels.

Marvin Grosslein was born October 24, 1929 in Seattle. He grew up in Minnesota where a summer job with the Minnesota Conservation Department sparked his interest in fisheries science. He graduated from the University of Minnesota before attending Cornell University for his PhD. For his doctoral thesis, Dr. Grosslein developed a survey program that would provide a basis for estimating catches of all species. His graduate work took him to Woods Hole in the summer of 1959. He began full time in 1961 after completing his PhD.