John Reardon
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project
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.
Azure Dee Westwood
John Reardon is a former fisherman turned General Manager for IMP Fishing Gear Limited in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, MA, Reardon entered the fishing industry in the early 1980s, starting out on a dragger and retiring from fishing in 1999. He began working for IMP Fishing Gear, also known as Industrial Marine Products, in November of 1999. The company, which started out selling fishing gear in Newfoundland, now has 15 branches in Canada and the United States.
Scope and Content Note
This interview with John Reardon, conducted on November 28, 2006, provides an in-depth look into the fishing industry from the perspective of a former fisherman and current General Manager of a fishing gear company. Reardon discusses the evolution of the industry, including the impact of new technology on fishing practices and safety measures. He also addresses the challenges facing the industry, such as regulatory issues, mismanagement, and the decline of family-run fishing operations. The interview also touches on the future of the industry, with Reardon expressing concern about the survival of the dragger fleet and the potential shift towards a "guest worker" model. The interview concludes with Reardon's reflections on political representation for the fishing industry and the role of science in fisheries management.
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