Michael Rioux
Ellsworth High School - Maine
These interviews were conducted as part of Ellsworth High School's participation in the NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) Local Fisheries Knowledge Pilot Project 2003-2005. All 10th graders participated in this interdisciplinary project that involved English, History, Social Studies, and Biology classes. To read about the LFK Project, go to http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/lfkproject/.
Michael Rioux is retired scallop and urchin diver and lobsterman. He lives in Surry, Maine, and worked out of Blue Hill Bay and Stonington, Maine. Rioux started in the fishing industry by driving a dive boat for other divers before getting into scallop and urchin markets, and then lobstering. He fished in various areas, ranging from Milbridge to Vinalhaven, North Haven, Isle Au Haute, and Swan’s Island.
Scope and Content Note
Michael talks about the depletion of the local urchin fishery, driven by international market demands, and the resulting need for conservation. Regarding lobster harvest, he spoke about territorial issues such as informal boundary lines developed by local lobstermen and the difficulty of being a newcomer to the fishery. He discusses the danger, difficulty, and required equipment of scallop diving. Michael also talks about how the prices for sea urchins vary depending on their type, size, and quality. At one point, he was paid $3 per pound for the urchins he harvested. He also mentioned the role of the tender and culler in the process of sea urchin diving. The tender provided bags and pulled them up to the boat, while the culler removed trash and small urchins. Rioux also shares his near-death experiences, one of which involved his dry suit malfunctioning and filling up with water. Another time, he turned off his own air in 30 feet of water when trying to untangle his lines. He usually dives at a depth of 30-75 feet and noted that scallops tend to bunch up at 20, 40, and 75 feet. Additional topics include urchin populations, regulations, the stigma around alcohol and drug use in the fishing industry, and the future of lobster and scallop populations. Michael thinks that the lobster populations will decline as the ground fish populations recover, but is unsure about the effects of state regulations on population growth. Finally, he advises anyone who is interested in getting into the fishing industry to consider pursuing other career paths, as the industry is subject to unpredictable weather and may not always be profitable.
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