Lenny Russo, 27 years old at the time of his interview, describes working as the relief captain of a fleet boat in Portland, ME, after growing up working on a family fishing boat in Gloucester MA. Lenny is also the owner-operator of a seasonal salmon gillnet vessel in Bristol Bay, AK. 

Scope and Content Note

Larry Russo shares his journey in the fishing industry and his aspirations for the future. Russo talks about how he worked with his father before exploring captain opportunities on other boats, ultimately joining Jerry Leeman on the Teresa Marie IV. He expresses his desire for control over his own fishing boat, highlighting the need to establish his own way of doing things. He discusses the challenges of working on a family-owned boat with differing opinions among captains and crew members. Russo says he prefers the structure of working on a company boat where the captain's orders are followed without debate. He considers the possibility of taking over his father's boat or becoming a relief captain for a fleet of boats and expresses his interest in learning and adapting to new fishing techniques.

Larry acknowledges the difficulties the fishing industry has faced, such as low prices and quota reductions, which have discouraged young people from joining the profession. However, he also talks about how the industry is bouncing back with increased fish populations and better prices. He expresses mixed feelings about fishing management and regulations, understanding the need for conservation but criticizing excessive restrictions imposed by organizations like NOAA. Larry suggests that the government should compensate fishermen if their quotas are reduced and notes that the older generation may have more negative views towards regulations due to the industry's decline during their time.