Brunswick, GA

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Andrew Ross Boat Stories

Andrew Ross is a seasoned commercial fisherman based in Brunswick, Georgia. He has been involved in the shrimping industry since he was 20 years old, initially working as a deckhand on his father's boat, the Burn East 2. As his father aged, Ross took over the role of Captain and has been operating the boat ever since. The Burn East 2, a wooden boat built in 1944, is one of the oldest boats in the area. Ross's family has a long history in the marine business, with his father involved in bridge construction and his great grandfather building jetties in the area.

Frederick Lee, Kassidy Gunn Brunswick, GA Georgia Southern University, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Andrew Ross Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Andrew Ross is a seasoned commercial fisherman based in Georgia, with a rich family history in the fishing industry. His journey into fishing began at the age of five when his father would take him out on the boat, tying a rope around him to prevent him from falling overboard. Ross took over the family business at the age of twenty when his father retired. His family's involvement in the fishing industry extends beyond his immediate family, with his grandfather having been in the shipping business, entertaining captains of big boats and cooking for them.

Danielle Sayre , Erin Scooler Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Ben McDowell Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Ben McDowell, born in 1952, is a seasoned fisherman with over six decades of experience in the shrimping industry. His life and career have been deeply intertwined with the sea, following in the footsteps of his father who was also a fisherman for fifty years before Ben's birth. McDowell's career has spanned a period of significant change in the industry, witnessing a shift from the prosperous times of his youth to the more challenging present day.

Ahmauri Williams-Alford, Nompumelelo Hlophe Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Brande Bennett Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Brande Bennett is a seasoned shrimper from Brunswick, Georgia. Raised on the deck of a shrimp boat by her father, she spent her childhood weekends, summers, and holidays learning the trade. Her father's influence not only initiated her career in fishing but also shaped her into a headstrong woman. She started earning from a young age by selling crabs and fish. As an adult, she transitioned from working on the boat to managing the payroll and business side of her father's shrimping business.

Danielle Sayre , Angelique Jennings Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Brande Bennett Boat Stories

Brande Bennett is a seasoned fisherwoman from Brunswick, Georgia, who has been involved in the fishing industry since her childhood. Her involvement in the industry is generational, with her father owning the Dora F, a boat she has been fishing on since she was four years old. Bennett also owned her own boat, the Brande Ray, which she sold a few years back. She has always preferred the role of a striker over that of a captain, despite being capable of driving the boats and performing all necessary tasks.

Kassidy Gunn, Frederick Lee Brunswick, GA Georgia Southern University, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Calvin Lang Boat Stories

Calvin Lang is a third-generation shrimper and fisher based in Brunswick, Georgia. He has been involved in the fishing industry for several years, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Lang currently owns two fishing vessels, the Miss Peggy and the Fifth Day, both of which he operates with his wife, Lisa. He previously owned the Lang's Pride, a 75-foot St. Augustine trawler freezer boat, which he sold due to difficulties in finding a crew.

Amber Chulawat, Sierra Sutton Brunswick, GA Georgia Southern University, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Frank Eldon McDowell Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Frank McDowell is a seasoned commercial fisherman from Georgia with a rich family history deeply rooted in the fishing industry. Born and raised in a large family of fishermen, McDowell's life has been shaped by the sea and the challenges that come with making a living from it. His experiences span from the tradition of blessing the fleet to witnessing significant changes in the fishing community over the years.

Angelique Jennings, Scott Clark Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Gibb Walker Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Gibb Walker, a native of Sapelo Island, Georgia, has been a part of the shrimping industry from a young age. Born on Sapelo Island, he moved to Brunswick in 1955 due to a lack of job opportunities in his hometown. His passion for shrimping was ignited by his uncle when he was around fifteen or sixteen years old, and his father was also a shrimper. At the age of twenty, he started running a boat in 1961 and continued shrimping until 2000 or 2003. Walker was one of the few Black captains in Brunswick, a position he held from around 1982 or 1985.

Ahmauri Williams-Alford, Nompumelelo Hlophe Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
Herbert McIver, Jr. Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Herbert Mcliver, Jr. is a seasoned shrimp boat captain with a rich history rooted in the fishing community. Born and raised in a fishing environment, Mcliver began his journey in the industry at a tender age, learning the ropes of fishing from his father. His early exposure to the fishing industry and the hands-on experience he gained over the years shaped his career path, eventually leading him to become a shrimp boat captain. Mcliver's career has been marked by both triumphs and trials, witnessing firsthand the positive and negative transformations within the fishing industry.

Danielle Sayre , Erin Scooler Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University
James Martin Higgins Fishing Traditions & Fishing Futures in Georgia

Marty Higgins is a native of Brunswick, a town with a rich heritage in the shrimping industry, which he entered following a long-standing family tradition. Growing up, Higgins was ingrained with the values and skills of shrimping by his father and grandfather, both seasoned practitioners of the trade. This early exposure to the industry not only equipped him with the necessary expertise but also instilled in him a profound appreciation for the lifestyle that comes with being on the water.

Amber Gosser, Savannah Bell Brunswick, GA UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern University