Richard McKnight
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project is an ongoing oral history project documenting the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project was begun in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, education celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals from other ports around the country. Folklorist and Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar/Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are Project Leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.
Richard McKnight is a seasoned fisherman with a twenty-year career in the King Mackerel fishery in South Florida and Louisiana. Born in Lake Worth, Florida, he now resides in Sebastian, Florida. Despite coming from a non-fishing family, McKnight developed a passion for fishing from a young age. He initially worked in construction after high school but always dreamed of a life at sea. He bought his first boat at the age of twenty-one and, despite initial struggles, he eventually found success in the fishing industry. Over the years, he has qualified for several fishing permits, including the snapper/grouper permit in the South Atlantic, which requires at least fifty percent income from fishing.
Scope and Content Note
This interview with Richard McKnight, conducted by Markham Starr on September 28, 2013, provides an in-depth look into the life and career of a professional fisherman. McKnight discusses his journey into the fishing industry, the challenges he faced, and the changes he has witnessed over the years. He provides detailed insights into various fisheries, including the Swordfish, King Mackerel, Red Snapper, and Golden Tile fishery. He also discusses the impact of regulations and Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) on the industry. McKnight shares his concerns about the increasing competition in the King Mackerel fishery due to the closure of other fisheries and the influx of displaced fishermen. He also expresses his concerns about the potential long-term closure of the Red Snapper fishery despite evidence of a significant comeback in recent years.
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