John La Grange

Location of Interview
Collection Name

Histories of San Diego’s Fisheries and Farms

Description

Decisions about ocean and coastal regulation and management, and marine resources, often end up being made without heavy involvement of fishermen, aquafarmers, and others with strong local knowledge (for a variety of reasons), yet their stories and points of view offer some of the deepest insights into these issues and their potential solutions.

Our goal was, therefore, to hear from several local ocean experts about their views of how the environment and society surrounding our oceans has changed and why. Oral histories are an effective way to document local knowledge and information that might otherwise be unheard and eventually lost. Further, videos or transcripts of fishermen’s stories are an effective way of engaging the public and increasing awareness of the issues to help garner political and social support for local industry, resource protection and localization of food supply chains.

Through insightful interviews led by renowned marine ecologist Paul Dayton, himself a pioneer in ocean science, we spoke with four San Diego ocean pioneers- two longtime San Diego fishermen, an aquaculturist, and an underwater videographer- and asked them to reflect on their lives and careers; on trends they’ve observed in the environment, fishing and ocean culture, and public perceptions; and on lessons they've learned in order to inform decisions now surrounding marine resource use.

Date of Interview
12-03-2013
Principal Investigator
Transcript
Abstract

Interview with retired San Diego commercial fisherman, John La Grange conducted on December 3, 2013 at John's home in Solana Beach, California. Dr. Paul K. Dayton, Emeritus Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography was the interviewer.


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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.

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