John Fiorito
The Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Hudson River Commercial Fishermen’s Oral History Collection
The Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Hudson River Commercial Fishermen’s Oral History Collection consists of interviews with commercial fishermen conducted in the early 1980s and early 1990s. Locations discussed range from New York City to Albany and time periods from the 1920s to the 1990s. The focus of these interviews is primarily on the decline of the commercial fishing industry, including changes in fishing techniques and gear, changes in water quality and pollution, economic and market changes, and changes in fishing populations, including government regulation.
Content note: Some of the terminology used in these interviews reflects the time period and personalities of the people being interviewed and not that of the Hudson River Maritime Museum or New York Heritage.
You can explore this collection and others at: https://nyheritage.org/collections/oral-histories-hudson-river-commercial-fishermen
On August 8, 1991, Marguerite Holloway interviewed John Fiorito. Fiorito discusses his extensive experiences as a fisherman along the Hudson River, focusing on methods such as haul seining, gill netting, and ice fishing. He describes working with the Tuttle family, learning fishing techniques, and his eventual transition to operating independently. Topics include the technical aspects of fishing equipment, such as nets, poles, and scows; the evolution of materials from cotton to nylon; and challenges like environmental changes, regulations, and market pressures. Fiorito elaborates on the logistics of setting and retrieving nets, constructing fishing gear, and adapting to innovations like the ring system for nets. He shares personal reflections on the decline of fish populations, the impact of PCB contamination, and his decision to cease fishing due to environmental and economic factors. Additionally, Fiorito recounts his community's history, mentioning local fishermen and the regulation of fishing practices by entities like the War Department.
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The NOAA mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. The Voices Oral History Archives offers public access to a wide range of accounts, including historical materials that are products of their particular times, and may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes.
Voices Oral History Archives does not verify the accuracy of materials submitted to us. The opinions expressed in the interviews are those of the interviewee only. The interviews here have been made available to the public only after the interviewer has confirmed that they have obtained consent.