Martin Rockwell Bartlett
Oral History Collection - Fishing and Fisheries
This collections contains recordings of interviews with Woods Hole residents and visiting scientists, as part of the Woods Hole Historical Museum’s Oral History Collection. For more information, visit: woodsholemuseum.org.
Subject: The Swordfishing Industry of the 1980s. Martin R. Bartlett was the owner of the vessel PENOBSCOT GULF. Marty came to Woods Hole in 1956 with the Coast Guard and went out on the CRAWFORD to learn about buoys and rescue. He left the Coast Guard and began to work with Frank Mather of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on bluefin tuna research. While they were on a cruise they also caught swordfish and Marty became enthusiastic about fishing for them. He fished in the Gulf of Mexico for a while out of Pascagoula, then in Georgia. The FDA tried to stop this fishery because of lead levels. After this he got his own boat, the PENOBSCOT GULF, about 1973. He discusses the outfitting he did in Hyannis of this well-used boat, formerly from Maine. Discusses crew coming out of Woods Hole, which included women. Discusses the difference between line trawling techniques. His boat fished up to 14 miles of gear. Usually used mackeral for bait. Heads out for the Grand Banks. Very detailed discussion of the effect of the 200-mile limit, foreign fishing boats, depletion of stock.
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