Jim Rose, born James Malan Rose on March 17, 1954, in Southampton, is a seasoned clammer and gill netter from Long Island, New York. He moved to the Patchogue area of Long Island in 1960 and has lived there for most of his life. Rose began his career in clamming at the age of twelve, following in the footsteps of his older brother. He started clamming part-time after school and during the summers, using an old boat he fixed up himself. Despite not coming from a bay family, Rose continued clamming throughout his junior high and high school years. After a brief stint in construction and attending school at night, Rose returned to clamming full time in 1973. He continued to clam full time until 1985, working in the Patchogue bays and Bay Shore, and Babylon in the winter. As clamming began to slow down in the mid-1980s, Rose transitioned back into construction.

Scope and Content Note
This interview with Jim Rose, conducted by Steve Warrick on July 15, 2000, provides a detailed account of Rose's life and career as a clammer in the Great South Bay area of Long Island. The interview begins with Rose's early life, including his birth in Southampton in 1954 and his move to the Patchogue area in 1960. Rose discusses his introduction to clamming at the age of twelve, his initial work after school and during the summers, and his eventual transition to clamming full time in 1973. He describes the process of clamming, including the use of a long handle rake, the licensing requirements, and the physical labor involved. Rose also discusses the changes in the clamming industry over the years, noting the good years in the 1970s and early 1980s, and the decline that led him to transition back into construction in 1985. The interview provides a unique perspective on the life and work of a clammer in the Great South Bay area during this period.