Oliver Goldsmith Brown IV is a retired oil field engineer who worked on a sailing, commercial fishing vessel as a teenager in the 1950s in the Gulf of Mexico. Brown was born on December 3, 1940, in Morton, Mississippi. He grew up in Morton and later moved to Mobile, Alabama, where he lived with his uncle and aunt. Brown's family had a history of involvement in the fishing industry, and he began working as a fisherman at a young age. 

Scope and Content Note:
The interview with Oliver Goldsmith Brown IV offers a firsthand account of the impact of the oil disaster on Gulf Coast fisheries. Brown discusses his early life in Mississippi, his family's involvement in the fishing industry, and his experiences as a fisherman. The interview provides insights into the challenges and routines of the fishing profession, including details about fishing practices, catch processing, and the economic aspects of the industry. Additionally, Brown shares his experiences and observations related to the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, including the effects on fishing operations, the community, and the environment. 

Subjects: freshwater fish of Mississippi in 1940s and 1950s, trotlines, bait, fishing equipment, throw line, commercial fishing for red snapper circa 1957, commercial sailing fishing vessel the Peggy Gonzales, loading ice in hold, typical fishing trip, wages paid to crew in 1957, fishing in Gulf of Campeche, regulations, sailing technique for gaff-rigged schooner, infrastructure for fishing vessels circa 1957, liquor asea, finding fish circa 1957, corned grouper, bycatch/species in Gulf of Mexico in 1957, prices for catch, Starfish and Oyster Company, sailing through Hurricane Audrey in 1957, failure of bilge pump, commercial diver circa 1957, snapper rally asea, port accommodations circa 1957, rock shrimp.