Jim Ruhle

Jim Ruhle Image
Location of Interview
Collection Name

The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project

Description

The Working Waterfront Festival Community  Documentation Project is an ongoing oral history project documenting the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project was begun in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, education celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals  from other ports around the country. Folklorist and    Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar/Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are Project Leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.

Date of Interview
09-28-2008
Transcribers

Janice Gadaire Fleuriel

Transcript
Biographical Sketch

Jim Ruhle is a third-generation fisherman from Long Island, New York, born in 1948. He spent most of his life in Wanchese, North Carolina, where he continued his family's fishing tradition. Ruhle has two sons, one of whom works with him full-time, and the other part-time, making them the fourth generation in this fishing lineage. Ruhle's family has a rich history in the fishing industry, with his father pioneering the longline swordfish fishery in North Carolina. Ruhle has worked on various fishing boats, including a ninety-foot steel boat he now owns. He is also the president of Commercial Fishermen of America, a national voice for the fishing industry. Ruhle has served as a commercial representative for Carolina and was a liaison to the New England Council for five years.

Scope and Content Note:
This interview with Jim Ruhle, conducted by Janice Gadaire Fleuriel on September 28, 2008, provides a comprehensive insight into Ruhle's life and experiences as a fisherman. The interview covers a wide range of topics, including Ruhle's family background in fishing, his experiences working on different fishing boats, and his role in the Commercial Fishermen of America. Ruhle also discusses his involvement in fisheries management, his interactions with fisheries scientists, and his efforts to educate others about the fishing industry. The interview also touches on broader issues such as the impact of climate change on fish stocks and migration patterns, and the challenges facing the fishing industry.


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