B.J. Copeland, born on November 20th, 1936, in a country home near Mannsville, has had a significant impact on the fisheries of North Carolina. He has an extensive educational background and has served in the Zoology Department at North Carolina State University. Copeland was initially appointed to the Marine Fisheries Commission in the 1980s under Governor James G. "Jim" Martin's "Egghead Commissions." Throughout his career, he has been involved in numerous public hearings and has worked to foster communication and interaction between different stakeholders in the fisheries sector.

Robert Lucas, former Chairman of the North Carolina Marine Fisheries Commission led efforts to pass the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act. In this oral history, Lucas discusses his law career and how he became involved in fisheries issues in the mid-1990's. He provides insight into how the law was shaped through public meetings and negotiation with stakeholders.

Beverly Perdue is a prominent figure in North Carolina politics, having served as the state's Governor. She has been actively involved in various legislative initiatives, particularly those related to fisheries and environmental issues. Perdue's political career began with her interest in the Democratic Party and her first experiences with politicians in Raleigh. Throughout her career, she has been involved in numerous coastal-related legislations, including the Fisheries Reform Act, which she describes as 'consensus legislation'.

Dan Whittle was born on October 10, 1962, in Glasgow, Kentucky. He grew up in a small farming town in western Kentucky named Ridgefield. After his parents divorced when he was in third grade, he moved to New England, New Hampshire, where he spent the school year in Manchester and the summers on their farm in Kentucky. Whittle attended Manchester public schools and later decided to go back South for college. He attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.