Kim Boone
Dock Stories
The Dock Stories project incorporates oral history research with other research methods in order to address simultaneous issues being experienced by fishing communities in Georgia. The project goals are to improve infrastructure and industry sustainability by identifying improvement opportunities within the constraints of land use, environmental impacts, weather patterns, aging infrastructure, and evolving vessel needs, while also documenting the cultural history of commercial fishing docks in Georgia. An integral part of the project is training student researchers in the Georgia Southern Anthropology program. Under the guidance of Dr. Sweeney Tookes (Georgia Southern University) and Bryan Fluech (University of Georgia Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant), students are receiving comprehensive training in conducting interviews, oral histories, and appropriate interview protocols. They then spend several days at a time on the Georgia coast, learning firsthand about the marshes, estuaries, vessels, and communities before commencing lengthy oral history interviews with local experts on the industry. This project began in 2024 and will continue through 2026, coordinated by Graduate Student Project Manager, Kristin Meeuwen.
Logan Collins
On April 13, 2024, Logan Collins and Lilah Henderson interviewed Kim Boone for the "Dock Stories" project at Boone’s Seafood in Darien, Georgia. Kim Boone shares her family connections to the shrimping industry, detailing the history of Boone’s Dock, which has been part of her husband’s family for generations. Her own family also had significant ties to the industry, with her grandfather and parents operating a dock in Meridian, Georgia, before selling it to the state in the early 1990s. The interview provides insights into the evolution of the shrimping industry, particularly the challenges faced by local docks over the years. Boone discusses the differences between Boone’s Dock and her family’s former dock, emphasizing the continuity of operations despite changing times and technology. She recounts the decline in shrimp prices and the increasing financial strain on fishermen, which contrasts sharply with the higher demand and better prices seen in previous decades. Boone also reflects on the impact of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, which have caused significant damage to the docks but have not deterred the community from rebuilding and continuing their work. She notes the difficulties in finding reliable labor for the seasonal work required at the docks, a problem exacerbated by the unpredictable nature of the shrimping industry. Throughout the interview, Boon shares personal anecdotes about her experiences at the docks. She also discusses potential future investments for Boone’s Dock, such as adding more freezers and coolers to facilitate direct sales to consumers, which she sees as a necessary adaptation to the current market conditions.
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