Carmine Marinaccio was born on May 7, 1987, in the Bronx. His parents hailed from Basilaca and Okadi, near Mount Vesuvius, and arrived in the Bronx when his father was 11 years old. Carmine's grandfather worked as a laborer, crafting furniture and harboring resentment toward tax collectors, which eventually led him to leave. Growing up near the water, Carmine developed a fondness for the beach and found ways to earn money, such as catching bait and reselling boats.

Charles Brower is a seasoned fisherman and bayman, hailing from a long line of individuals who have made their living off the waters. Born and raised in Baldwin Harbor, he began his fishing journey at the young age of 15 under the tutelage of his father, who taught him the art of cod fishing. Brower Avenue itself is named after his great-grandfather, showcasing the family's deep connection to the fishing industry. Throughout his career, Charles Brower primarily engaged in net fishing, specifically using a gillnet.

"The traditional baymen’s position on the island has been death by a thousand paper cuts, just one law after another law after another law, until, eventually, it’s not that there’s no money to be made out there.  It’s that it’s so much stuff you have to put up with, with all the boat traffic and all the laws and the licenses you have to deal with and law enforcement agencies.  You just don’t see young people getting into it anymore."

Cory Weyant is a full time commercial fisher from Freeport, New York. He traps eels, killies, crabs and other finfish using traps he has built himself. He also works on trawler fishing boats. Cory grew up in Freeport and learned his skills through the community. His father was also born in Oceanside and worked in the boating industry, running transport boats and working at bait stations. Cory started fishing and swimming at a very young age

Cory Weyant is a seasoned bayman and dragger fisherman with over forty-five years of experience in the industry. He has witnessed significant changes in his line of work, particularly in the Freeport area where he has lived since he was two years old. Weyant's career has spanned several decades, during which he has seen a decline in the number of small trawlers in his area and a dramatic decrease in the abundance of fish. He attributes these changes to overfishing and the advancement of fishing technology. Despite the challenges, Weyant has managed to adapt to the changing circumstances.

Danny Koch is a lifelong bayman who has been working the bay area for his entire life, just like his father, uncle, and grandfathers before him. Danny primarily focuses on catching killey, a type of bait, using traps that he sets in creeks where clam shells are found. Having learned the trade from his family, Danny's roots in the bay area go back to the early 1900s.

Don Kearsley is a seasoned fisherman hailing from Linwood, New Jersey. Growing up near Scull's Bay, Don developed a love for fishing from an early age. He learned the art of fishing from Harry Toma, a professional fisherman and the father of a friend. Although there were no fishermen in Don's family, he was drawn to the fishing profession due to his proximity to the area and the influence of local fishermen, who were descendants of early settlers dating back to the 18th century.

Doug Rogers Sr. and Jean Rogers are a couple residing in Brooklyn, New York. Doug was born in Brooklyn, but his father and grandfather hailed from East Marion. During the Great Depression, Doug's family moved to Brooklyn but returned to East Marion when he was born. Doug's father worked as a house painter, and his grandfather was a gentleman farmer. Doug spent 35 years working on the bay, learning the trade from a seasoned fisherman named Raymond Rackett, who was a third-generation fisherman.

Mr. Ed Warner, a native of Hampton Bays and a fifth-generation bayman, possessed an unparalleled knowledge of the town's history and its people. Born in 1925, Ed Warner grew up in Hampton Bays, fostering a deep sense of loyalty and pride for his hometown. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned home and became a bayman. Ed possessed an intimate understanding of the best fishing spots, techniques to maximize his catch, and where to find the largest clams. Ed Warner served as a member of the Southampton Board of Trustees for 27 years, spanning 13 re-elections.

Frank Cona, a fifth-generation fisherman from Macata, a small town in southern Sicily, Italy, was born on June 7, 1987.  Cona grew up in a fishing family.  At six, Frank began assisting his father and older brother on their family’s dragger boats, primarily cleaning fish and eventually becoming a captain.  In his hometown of Macata, shellfishing was not practiced; instead, Frank's fishing endeavors revolved around haul seining for sardines and anchovies.