Dr. Russell Brown is a distinguished fisheries scientist with a Ph.D. in Fisheries from Michigan State University, as well as an M.S. in Fisheries and a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Cornell University. With over two decades of experience in the field, Dr. Brown has made significant contributions to fisheries research and management. Russell began his career in 1994 at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, where he worked as a stock assessment biologist specializing in haddock and Gulf of Maine winter flounder.

Loretta Doucette is a resident of Falmouth, Massachusetts, who has a deep connection to the fishing industry in Woods Hole. Her father was a fisherman who fished for Sam Cahoon, whose market was located in Woods Hole. Loretta's father was born in Nova Scotia in the 1880s and ran away from home at a young age and made his way to Yarmouth. In his early 20s, Loretta's father came to Boston and worked in masonry for a brief period. He even worked on a bridge over the Charles River. Eventually, he decided to settle in Cape Cod and chose Edgartown as his fishing base around 1910.

Louis Doucette, Jr., was born in 1911 in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, to Louis Doucette, a respected fishing boat captain. Louis was the oldest living skipper in the New Bedford fishing fleet until his passing on November 16, 2006, at the age of 95. Raised in Edgartown, Louis Jr. was the son of Louis A. and Mary Jane Doucette (née Upton). He made his home in Fairhaven for the majority of his life. Louis Jr. was an active member of the St. Joseph's Church, where he regularly attended services. For many years, Louis Jr.

Edward "Eddie" Enos Jr. grew up in Falmouth Heights, spending much of his time around the waterfront exploring and fishing. At the age of 12, he had a chance encounter with an experienced fisherman named Joe Joseph, who would become a significant influence in his life. Joe taught Eddie about fishing techniques, shared his knowledge of the local fishing spots, and even gifted him a share of the white perch they caught together. Joe Joseph, an experienced fisherman and entrepreneur, owned the Harvard New Fish Market and had a deep connection to the waterfront community.

Peter Fisher is the entrepreneurial owner of Catamount Fish Market, a business that has been operational for one year. His journey into the fish industry was sparked by his experiences while employed at a restaurant, where he observed the intricate process involved in ordering fish. This insight led him to establish his own market with a vision to facilitate fish distribution, particularly aiming to ship fish to western New York. Fisher's business acumen is evident in his strategic sourcing of fish, which he acquires from small gillnetters located in Hyannis, Harwich, and Sandwich.

Captain Russell Grinnell was born in 1907 in Woods Hole. His father, Charles R. Grinnell, was born in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, then moved with Russell's grandfather to Naushon Island off Woods Hole. Charles Grinnell was a fisherman and he and son Russell fished together, gathering quahogs and lobsters, dragging for flounder, depending on the season. This was first done from a 26 foot catboat and later a 42 foot boat. Russell Grinnell joined the crew of the squid collecting boats (all named CAPTAIN BILL) owned by Henry Klimm and contracted to the Marine Biological Laboratory.

Buck's first experiences with commercial fishing began in 1942 with a trip on Kenneth Shepherd's boat BETSY C. They landed fish at Sam Cahoon's fish market. He mentions a violent winter storm on the 42 foot boat. After that he worked for Henry Klimm on one of the first of the series of boats named CAPTAIN BILL. He recalls crew members, fishing grounds and catches. There were some spectacular catches of herring, haddock, yellowtail flounder. All fish were landed at Sam Cahoon's, and the fish were then taken to the Fulton Fish Market in New York as well as Boston. He mentions prices.

The main topic is the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries in Woods Hole. The first speaker is Peggy Clark Kelley. She speaks of her grandfather Edward Linton who came to Woods Hole with Director Spencer Baird in 1882 when Linton was a student at Yale. She discusses why Woods Hole was chosen for the site of the Fisheries lab, the interaction with local businessmen. Peggy's memories of her childhood include trips on collecting boats (specimens for MBL). Dr. Graham became Director in 1951.

Dr. John Boreman started at the NEFSC in 1980, after spending his early career dealing with power plant impacts on fish and wildlife. He was instrumental in establishing the Center's Cooperative Marine Education and Research Program, and was its first coordinator at the University of Massachusetts. He served as deputy center director under Dr. Michael Sissenwine, starting in 1997, and one of his first assignments was to institute the reorganization of NEFSC.

After nearly 30 years with NMFS, stints as an NEFSC division chief and Center Director, as well as senior science leadership positions in the Agency's headquarters, Dr. Michael P. Sissenwine retired in 2005. This interview took place one month before his official retirement. He discusses his career.