Howard Nickerson, a former fisherman and union organizer, was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on September 14, 1912. Nickerson grew up in Wareham and graduated from a vocational school. Despite his father's work in the electric light company, Nickerson pursued a career in the fishery industry. During the Great Depression, when jobs were scarce, he found work as an usher at the State Theatre in New Bedford. Eventually, he transitioned to working in the engine room of fishing vessels, primarily engaged in sea scalloping.

Donald Clattenburg is an 81-year-old retired boat owner from Fairhaven, Nova Scotia. Born in Port Midway, Nova Scotia, he moved to New Bedford in 1941 with his three brothers. His father owned four fishing boats in New Bedford, and DC began his career in the fishing industry at the age of fifteen, working in Homers Filet House. He was drafted into the Navy at eighteen during WWII and participated in the invasion of the beach at Okinawa. After the war, he returned to fishing, working with his uncle on the Two Brothers and later on his father's boat.

Marty Olsen is a retired fisherman. He was born in New Jersey and later moved to Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Marty joined the Army and started fishing in 1961, primarily out of New Bedford and briefly in Boston. Olsen's children did not follow in his footsteps, with his son becoming an electrician and his daughters marrying shore people.

Eugene Connors is a former commercial fisherman and fishery researcher who worked in the industry from 1960 to 1981. He was involved in scalloping and dragging in New Bedford, having originally come from a small fishing community in Stonington, CT. After his fishing career, Connors worked for the New England Fishery Development Foundation as the vessel site coordinator for a project called "Quality at Sea," which aimed to improve the quality of seafood being landed in New England ports by applying Scandinavian methods of handling product at sea.

Dan Orchard began his career as a fisherman, working in different fisheries along the Pacific Coast, from Southern California to Alaska. After leaving the Coast Guard, he ventured into lobster fishing but soon realized his passion lay in bigger boats, particularly draggers. Dan then worked on the boat The Travis and Natalie out of Point Judith, Rhode Island, where he gained extensive knowledge about fishing, including cutting, gutting, cleaning, and stacking fish on ice. Dan went on to explore different fisheries, including squid fishing and even caught rare species along the way.

Kristin Decas served as the Executive Director of the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission (NBHDC). However, please note that there may have been changes in personnel or positions since then. Kristin Decas is an experienced executive in the maritime industry with a background in port management and economic development. She has held leadership positions in several ports across the United States and has been recognized for her contributions to the maritime sector.

Carlos Rafael was born on the island of Corvo in the Azores and immigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1968. He is a prominent fishermen and the other of one of the largest fishing fleets on the East Coast of the United States and of Carlos Seafood, Inc. He is known for his dominance in the New England fishing industry and his role in shaping fisheries management policies.

Louis A. Doucette was born on March 22, 1911, in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard. He grew up in a family of eight children, with his father having a background in sailing ships in the 1800s and later working for a bridge company in East Boston. Louis and his father fished on the south side of Vineyard, transitioning from larger boats with a crew of 20 men in Gloucester to smaller boats with only 3 or 4 men. His mother, originally from Nova Scotia, often spoke about Boston's Old North Church and their family history.

John Reardon is a former fisherman turned General Manager for IMP Fishing Gear Limited in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, MA, Reardon entered the fishing industry in the early 1980s, starting out on a dragger and retiring from fishing in 1999. He began working for IMP Fishing Gear, also known as Industrial Marine Products, in November of 1999. The company, which started out selling fishing gear in Newfoundland, now has 15 branches in Canada and the United States.