Bio: Alan James, known as AJ, was born on May 29, 1955, in New London, Connecticut. He grew up in foster homes in the Woonsocket, Rhode Island area and later moved back to Connecticut. AJ is a male of White ethnicity and is currently 57 years old. He has worked as a cook and deckhand on the F/V Apollo, a commercial fishing vessel based in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Bernice Calnan, a resilient and dedicated woman, has spent her life closely intertwined with the fishing community of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born and raised in a fishing family, Bernice has carried on the traditions and values of the maritime lifestyle through her roles as a fisherman's daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. Her connection to the ocean and the fishing industry runs deep, shaping her experiences and outlook. As the daughter of a boat cook on the dragger F/V Adventurer, Bernice grew up in the heart of the fishing world.

Bob Quinn and Helene Quinn and their ancestors have lived and worked on Eagle Island in Penobscot Bay Maine for generations. Bob got his start working on a pumper in the sardine industry and eventually began lobstering. Bob is now passing the torch to his grandson, Sam, who is eagerly embracing a life at sea. Helene Quinn is Bob's wife. She hails from Rockland, Maine, and has deep roots on Eagle Island. Samuel Quinn Russo, aged 12 during the interview, is Bob and Helene's grandson. He represents the younger generation that is actively embracing the family's fishing traditions. 

When Chad first saw the fishing boats of New Bedford, he knew he wanted to be on them. As luck would have it, he had an in and has been fishing ever since. Chad muses on regulations, his family, and his love for fishing.

Born in 1949, Charlotte Enoksen grew up in a tight-knit immigrant community, where many families were involved in the fishing industry. Her father, a Norwegian immigrant, became a fisherman and transitioned from groundfishing to scalloping over the years. 

Cindy Pettway was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts and grew up in Rochester. She worked at a motorcycle shop and then in 1979 she began working at her father’s shop and has been working there since. She sells Caterpillar parts and engines to local fishermen with her husband. In this interview she describes how the industry has evolved and what her personal experience has been like.

David Pierce was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Being from New Bedford, he had an interest in the ocean and the fisheries from a young age. He received his bachelors from SMU (Southeastern Massachusetts University) now University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He also received his Master's in Marine Biology from SMU in 1982. He received his PhD from University of Massachusetts Boston in 1996. He began working for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries in 1972.

Debra Kelsey of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Growing up, she attended Catholic school and had no interaction with the fishing industry. She initially worked as a commercial printer until she was laid off. She then enrolled as a full-time student at Salter School for 10 months, then began to work as a medical assistant, but didn’t like it. Shortly afterwards she was offered position as a navigator at Fishing Partnership Support Services where she works today.

Dick Grachek, born on November 11, 1944, in Queens, New York, is a seasoned commercial fisherman with a deep-rooted passion for the sea. Despite not coming from a fishing family, Grachek's love for the ocean was instilled in him by his grandfather, who owned a fish store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and had a stand in the Fulton Fish Market. Growing up on the south shore of Long Island, Grachek was exposed to the cycles of fish and the intricacies of marine life from a young age.

Edie Mikina was born in Angola, in West Africa, of Portuguese heritage and came to the US in 1970.  She is the owner of Edie and Marie Boat Settlements in New Bedford, which handles accounting work for fishing vessels out of New Bedford and Fairhaven, which she describes as “one business handling 50 businesses.”  She talks about her work and services to fishermen, especially to Portuguese clients, and contrasts past and present in the boat settlement business and in the industry.  This is a lively and informative interview and conveys a gre