Tammy Frye is a former fisherman as well as the daughter, wife and mother of fishermen. She tells about the loss of her two grandfathers at sea, her time fishing with her husband, how she found out she was pregnant, and the decisions her sons have made about their careers at sea.

Ted Williams is a seasoned professional with a rich history in the New Bedford fishing industry. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Williams moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts at the age of eighteen to pursue a career in agriculture. After working in the farming industry, he transitioned to marine construction, carpentry, and various other jobs before finding his calling in the fishing industry. Williams' extensive experience in the fishing industry includes roles as a fisherman, lumper, stevedore, fish cutter, tug boat captain, and merchant mariner.

Theodore (Ted) Pedersen is a retired fisherman of Norwegian descent, born in Norway and later immigrated to the United States. He spent his career as a scalloper, working out of home ports in Brooklyn, New York, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Despite his father and grandfather both losing their lives at sea, Pedersen pursued a career in fishing, starting in scalloping with his father. He worked in various roles throughout his career, including deckhand, mate, and skipper. Pedersen retired in 1980 after 41 years in the industry.

Thomas O'Shaughnessy recounts the time he drift dived off Molokini in Hawaii.

Thomas Quintin Jr. is a native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, born in 1961 at St. Luke’s Hospital. He has spent his life in the fishing industry, working his way up from deckhand to captain. Quintin is a self-proclaimed “dinosaur” in the industry, struggling to remain viable against the growing corporate fishing industry. He has been a captain for 21 years, but has also worked as a deckhand and a mate on various boats. Quintin is currently employed by Quinn Fisheries, which owns five boats.

Captain Quintin is a third generation fisherman. He tells of a few stories from his career including a prank he pulled on a crew member, the Perfect Storm, and an deck accident which happened to one of his crew.

Toby Lees is a fisherman from New Bedford, Massachusetts.  He was born in 1951 in Worcester, Massachusetts, but his family has ancestry in New Bedford dating back to the whaling days. He started fishing in 1970 after being placed on a boat as part of his Commercial Fisheries and Marine Technology course at the University of Rhode Island. Lees has been a full-time fisherman since graduating in 1971. He has a young family with two daughters and a wife.

Tom King is a seasoned fisherman who dedicated his career to the commercial fishing industry. Born into a family with a deep connection to Newfoundland and a long history in fishing, Tom's love for the sea and the fishing trade runs in his blood. In 1968, after working as a fish lumper on the waterfront for eight years, Tom decided to venture into fishing himself. His first fishing experience in February 1969, aboard the fishing vessel Angela W, left a lasting impression on him.

Tomas Calil is from Guatemala and is a supervisor at Bergie’s Seafood.  He has been working at Bergie’s for 15 years and knows all aspects of production at the plant.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Tony Vieira is a 46-year-old marine electronics specialist and the owner of T & K Marine Electronics in New Bedford, MA.  He describes his work history in the marine electronics field, his company, and the work he does on a day-to-day basis.  He also speaks about the changes in technology and the industry he has seen over the past twenty-five years.