Kelsey Aiken, 29 years old at the time of the interview, is a fisherman and co-manager (along with his brother) of a fish packing house in Hatteras, NC founded by his father. The company focuses mainly on gillnet fishing for flounder and sells a range of seafood caught in the Pamlico Sound and the ocean to a variety of markets, including New York's Fulton Fish Market, Boston, Canada, California, and local outlets.

Scope and Content Note

In his interview, Kelsey talks about transitioning the business from father to sons and his dreams of adding a retail operation to the business. Kelsey describes participating in North Carolina Sea Grant's Fish Camp program, where he was inspired to attend his state's general assembly and speak to policy makers about the value of commercial fisheries. He describes this eye-opening experience and stresses the importance of young fishermen getting involved in advocacy.

Aiken highlights the ways in which the commercial fishing landscape in Hatteras has transformed over time. Aiken mentions regulatory challenges, such as changes in net sizes, fishing seasons, and catch limits that have frustrated many fishermen, some of whom have chosen to leave the industry. Furthermore, he highlights how climate change and regulatory alterations have affected fish availability and the fishing industry's predictability. Kelsey goes on to stress the adaptability required by those in the fishing industry to navigate these changes and uncertainties. 

“There was quite a few kids from down here that went to Raleigh with us and were able to speak to some representatives and senators and stuff like that. They weren’t beat down by the end of that. They were kind of like, 'Wow, they did listen to us.' You know? I feel like it’s getting the right information to them at the right time, before their picture is already skewed... That’s what most of them said. 'Wow, I didn’t know that.'”