Len Tchorz was a fisherman for thirty-five years, worked for the Steamship Authority, and worked on a tug boat. He tells how he began in the industry and nicknames of those men who worked on the waterfront. He tells about his second trip which ended when his fishing vessel ran into an ocean liner in the fog.

Frances Rodrigues has been the wife of a scalloper for over 30 years. She talks about pranks, close calls, life at home and other aspects of a fishing families life.

Ms. Reed operated a bed and breakfast in Fairhaven, MA for many years. She tells the story about visiting the New Bedford fish auction which used to take place in the Wharfinger Building on Pier 3.

Melvin Shorey has fished for over thirty-four years. He has worked as a scalloper, as swordfisherman, and a draggerman.

Nancy Quintin is the daughter of an Azorean whaleman and the husband of a scallop captain for 30+ years. She tells the story of when she was pregnant and was on the radio with her husband.

Ms. Hubright's father was a fisherman. She tells about life at home and a story from her father's encounter with a Russian submarine during the war.

Mrs. Quintin tells of how the flavor of raw scallops differs from different parts of the ocean.

Ms. Panteleakos talks about recreational fishing.

Renee Ruscoe is originally from Mississippi but now fishes in the Pacific Northwest. In the first interview, she tells how she came to be a fisherman. She explains about life on a salmon purse seiner, how the seine works, and the day to day life on board. In the second interview, she tells the story about being buried in the net on the deck and how the captain left her there while finishing hauling in the fish. He wrote a poem about the experience which she shares in this interview.

Mr. Olson tells of his days fishing with gill nets, lobstering in the 1960's and 1970's and his first lobster boat.

Mr. Dubowik is a third generation fisherman from New Bedford. He tells a bit about his time as a fisherman, how he came to be a fisherman, and a close call at sea.

Paul Swain comes from a fishing family. He fished for a time when he came out of the service in 1956. He became a sampler for the Port of New Bedford, eventually becoming the State Supervisor for all the ports in Massachusetts. He tells of his time fishing and about life on the waterfront.

Renee Ruscoe is originally from Mississippi but now fishes in the Pacific Northwest. In the first interview, she tells how she came to be a fisherman. She explains about life on a salmon purse seiner, how the seine works, and the day to day life on board. In the second interview, she tells the story about being buried in the net on the deck and how the captain left her there while finishing hauling in the fish. He wrote a poem about the experience which she shares in this interview.

Paul Costa recounts his short lived career as a recreational fisherman.

Rodney Avila is a retired commercial fisherman who fished for over 60 years. He is a fourth generation fisherman, his son is the fifth generation. He tells a few stories from his career about storms at sea, pranks and jokes, unusual catches, and his worse trip.

Tammy Frye is a former fisherman as well as the daughter, wife and mother of fishermen. She tells about the loss of her two grandfathers at sea, her time fishing with her husband, how she found out she was pregnant, and the decisions her sons have made about their careers at sea.

Captain Quintin is a third generation fisherman. He tells of a few stories from his career including a prank he pulled on a crew member, the Perfect Storm, and an deck accident which happened to one of his crew.

Bob Richardson is the son of a fisherman and was a fisherman before becoming a minister. He talks about life on his father's boat, his one fall overboard, and how the sea gets into your blood.

Sarah Schumann is a commercial shell fisherwoman in Rhode Island. She currently targets underutilized shellfish species such as razor clams and periwinkles. She tells how she began her commercial fishing career.

Thomas O'Shaughnessy recounts the time he drift dived off Molokini in Hawaii.

Mr. Lowell talks about his experience as a recreational shellfisherman and diver.

Mr. Violino tells the story of a radio transmission he overheard on the Cape Cod Canal.

Ms. Baker tells a story about a trip she took as an observer for NOAA.

Mr. Bruce tells the story of when his family was fishing in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, during a family vacation.

Mr. Wheeler shares two stories from his life as a fisherman and the son of a fisherman.

Annie Humiston tells three stories of her time as a deck hand in the Pacific Northwest.

Ms. Bailey tells about the various fish she has caught while recreational fishing.

Dave Casoni has been a lobsterman for 40 years. He discusses how the industry has changed and about his life as a lobsterman.

Bill Gell was a pilot who flew a spotter plane for swordfishermen in the 1970's and 1980's. He shares the story of a practical joke he played on Rodney Avila as well as life as a pilot.

Cindy Follett-Guldemond is the daughter and sister of commercial fishermen. She talks about a trip seining with her family as well as a three day adventure to Block Island.

Bradford Hathaway was a reporter for the New Bedford, MA Standard Times. He covered the waterfront for a number years. He recounts a few stories from his career including the loss of two fishing vessels and a visit on a Russian fishing vessel.

Brian Lee began his fishing career on a long liner. He tells the story of how he survived a serious injury on deck. He now is a commercial rod and reel fisherman out of Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

Dave Blodgett tells his fish story which takes place on Lake Champlain, Vermont.

Ms. Enoksen discusses what life is like as a fisherman's wife.

Alexander Chavis, a twenty-seven-year-old male, is a dedicated worker at Bergie’s Seafood in New Bedford. Originally from El Salvador, Chavis moved to the United States when he was sixteen years old in search of better opportunities. Prior to his move, he assisted his mother in her small restaurant business and had aspirations of becoming a teacher. However, the high cost of university education in El Salvador led him to seek opportunities elsewhere. Upon his arrival in the U.S., Chavis was helped by friends and family in New Bedford to secure his first job in fish packing.

Eoin Rochford is the Plant Manager of the Northern Pelagic Group (NORPEL) fish processing plant in New Bedford, MA. In this interview he discusses the evolution of the fishing industry in New Bedford and New England. He also explains his personal history and career, including his time working as an engineer on fishing boats, fishing in Alaska, updating fishing boats, working at the NORPEL plant in New Bedford, and exporting fish to Nigeria. Mr.

Edie Mikina was born in Angola, in West Africa, of Portuguese heritage and came to the US in 1970.  She is the owner of Edie and Marie Boat Settlements in New Bedford, which handles accounting work for fishing vessels out of New Bedford and Fairhaven, which she describes as “one business handling 50 businesses.”  She talks about her work and services to fishermen, especially to Portuguese clients, and contrasts past and present in the boat settlement business and in the industry.  This is a lively and informative interview and conveys a gre

Debra Kelsey of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Growing up, she attended Catholic school and had no interaction with the fishing industry. She initially worked as a commercial printer until she was laid off. She then enrolled as a full-time student at Salter School for 10 months, then began to work as a medical assistant, but didn’t like it. Shortly afterwards she was offered position as a navigator at Fishing Partnership Support Services where she works today.

Jaqueline Rua has worked at Norpel for four years and has ambitions to be in management. She describes working conditions, learning English on the job and changes that have occurred in the four years on the job. She has a vast knowledge of types of fish and the packing process. She also trains Spanish speakers who are hired as temps during peak seasons.

Hector Grave came to New Bedford from Guatemala at age 14 and went to work on the waterfront. He worked for several years at gillnet companies until starting his own business, Lionel’s Nets, which makes and repairs gillnets. He discusses the challenges and sacrifice of self-employment as well as the passion for making a quality product.

Elias Tsoy discusses his work in the fishing industry as a ship painter, including a typical work day and common boat painting projects; his background in other jobs and his emigration from Guatemala.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Guadalupe is an employee at a company that cleans fish. She shares her work experiences and life experiences.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Jim Mercer is a 47 year old diver on the New Bedford/Fairhaven waterfront.  In this interview, he enthusiastically describes his job, how he became a commercial fishing boat diver, and why he enjoys his job and the waterfront community so much.  He speaks about the importance of having a diver’s assessment on the bottom of a commercial fishing boat and the process of doing an assessment.

Jay Hall spent 25 years working in the medical gas industry and now works for New Bedford Welding Supply, which supplies compressed gas to fishing vessels in the New Bedford - Fairhaven shipping industry.  He discusses his professional background, the different types of welding supplies and gas mixtures that New Bedford Welding Supply provides to the fishing industry, the process of filling a tank, the training provided to employees, specialty equipment, and potential dangers in the work environment.

Joao “John” Bernardo describes his work as an upholsterer for the last 38 years, including jobs for commercial fishing boat owners. Bernardo discusses his other jobs related to the commercial fishing industry, working with other Portuguese immigrants in the fish houses and how he learned his current craft.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Jameson Bell works with marine electronics. He is paid hourly and is not part of a union. He explains the types of electronics in a wheelhouse, how navigational electronics have changed over the years, and how that has affected the fishing industry. He explains the costs of navigational equipment and the life expectancy of various marine equipment, such as the magnetron. He also discusses the different types of people he meets on the waterfront, including ship captains, fishermen, and other workers. He discusses the drug use on the waterfront.

James Lopes, fifty-six years old, has been involved in the fishing industry since he was a teenager. He began his career as a ‘Night Rider,’ then had his own business, Ocean Obsession, Ltd, and currently works for Norpel as a production manager. He discusses the rewards and challenges of working on the waterfront, a typical day at Norpel,  the “cast of characters” he has worked with throughout the years, and the changes he has seen in the industry and the New Bedford area over the years.

Jameson “Jamie” Bell was born October 15, 1971 in Fort Lawton Beach, Florida and is currently employed as a Marine Electronics Technician at Chris Electronics in New Bedford, MA. In this interview, he discusses his past in the electronics field, his feelings about his job including his favorite and least favorite aspects of it. He shares how he interacts with fishermen, captains, customers and coworkers, and how his job is a good fit for his personality.

Jeff Cook is one of the owners of New Bedford Welding Supply in New Bedford, MA. He studied welding in high school and college and has worked for his family run business from a young age, starting with painting the gas cylinders and working his way up to customer sales.  He discusses the role of New Bedford Welding Supply in the fishing industry, the changes in welding equipment over the years, the role of his family members in the family business, and the positive and negative aspects of his job.

Jenifer Sanabria emigrated from Honduras to New Bedford, MA nine years ago and currently works in a packing line at a seafood factory. The company works with a variety of fish including filleted codfish, the process starts from when the boats arrive with the product, and they are processed, filleted and packaged for distribution across New England. She has a family back home that she has committed to providing to for the rest of her life. 

Jaime Rivera was born in Puerto Rico in 1989. He came to New Bedford in 2006 and found a job at Norpel in 2007. He describes working his way up from packer to nightshift supervisor. He speaks about learning to work on new equipment, temporary and permanent workers, and that his work is not easy but he likes all of it.

Esteban migrated from Guatemala to America and has resided in New Bedford for twenty years. He learned how to weld and work on motors in his homeland and carried these skills to New Bedford. He is a boat mechanic insuring that the fishermen are able to fish in a safe vessel. He has two children and would like to continue the American dream by passing his skills to his children in hopes for their success.

Jeff Ferreira is a 50-year-old supervisor of F & B Rubberized in New Bedford, MA, a company that specializes in tire recycling for use in the fishing industry. In this interview, he describes the history of the company, his job at F & B Rubberized, and the uses of recycled tires in the fishing industry.  He speaks about his company notably as a family business and what he hopes for the future of fishing and tire recycling.  

In this interview, Karen Joseph describes her experiences growing up in her family’s business, the RA Mitchell Company, on the New Bedford waterfront. She discusses her experience being a female in a leadership role in a male-dominated industry, as well as the positives and negatives of working in a family business. Finally, she discusses her hopes for the future of the fishing industry.

Jose Couto started working at New Bedford Ship Supply the year that he graduated from high school. He was hired initially because he had taken bookkeeping courses and was fluent in Portuguese, but since then has been promoted as a manager. In addition to bookkeeping, he deals with buying and stocking the store with supplies, often consulting with his customers to meet their needs. In this interview, Jose also discusses changes in the industry and his own experience.

Joe Moniz first came to the States as a soccer player. Later he emigrated to New Bedford from St. Michael in the Azores, where he’d been a farmer, as were most of his family. He’s been a lumper for many years, although he started out in construction for five years before lumping. He talks about the work of a lumper and the process of unloading boats, changes in the industry and in boats and technology and its effects on the job, changes in kinds and hauls of fish, and his love for the independence of the work.

John Pelicas describes in detail his work and life as a marine mechanic at R.A. Mitchell, where he has worked for 31 years. An immigrant from Portugal, he comes from a fishing family and has always been a part of the community on the waterfront. He discusses dangers if the job, fishing regulations, various engine fabrications, his deep commitment to the job, difficulties with computerized engines and what he sees as a bright future for the fishing industry.

John Miranda describes family life in Portugal, his immigration to America in 1980 and his training in engineering in both Portugal and the U.S. He discusses working for R.A. Mitchell for three decades, engineering changes in the fishing industry over the last 3 decades and his hopes for the future of fishing in general.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

The son of a scalloper, Mark was introduced to the waterfront early. Not knowing what he wanted to do as a career after graduating from high school, he started buying and selling fish.  Eventually, he and his partner worked their way up from nothing to buying Bergies.  He discusses the changes in the business from when he started, especially the harsh realities of today that are a consequence of strict regulations (so fewer fish being landed) and changes in technology that has taken the jobs of many workers.

Michael Smith is the 58-year-old owner of North Eastern Trawl in New Bedford, MA.  His company specializes in wire rope splicing.  In this interview, he describes his job, how he became a wire rope splicer, and experiences he’s had over the past thirty-eight years as a wire rope splicer.  He speaks about his company notably as a family business and how he enjoys his work. 

Luckas Smith, a 24-year-old male, has grown up around the fishing industry. He grew up in New Bedford, went to New Bedford Vocational School and recently graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He has worked as a wire splicer for his family’s business, Northeast Trawl, since he was about fifteen years old.  He explains the technique of splicing, the various tools, equipment, and the winch truck used for splicing.  Lastly, he discusses his view of the waterfront community and his pride in his role in the seafood industry.

Kirsten Bendiksen talks about her work in her family’s business, Reidar’s Manufacturing, a gear manufactory/support industry in New Bedford, formerly in Fairhaven. Talks about her Norwegian immigrant heritage and marrying a Norwegian fisherman, and later starting their busy gear shop, one of the few left to serve the industry. Kirsten works as bookkeeper in the business, which also employs her husband and their two sons and other workers.

Maria Gomez is from Guatemala and skins, cleans and packs fish at Bergie’s Seafood in New Bedford, MA. She has worked at the company for 15 years and her husband is also an employee.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Mariana Moreno is from Guatemala and has been working at Bergie’s seafood since age 16. She has learned all of the job duties at the plant including jobs typically reserved for men like hand cutting fish. She discusses adjusting her family budget to fluctuating work hours. She was recently promoted at Bergie’s and is always eager to learn more and take on more responsibilities in the workplace.

Trish DiCienzo was born in Brockton, Massachusetts in the year 1963, the oldest of four kids. She married at age 18 and moved out to Boston for 22 years then moved to West Roxbury, Massachusetts where she worked in the police department. Later, she moved to Lakeville so she could work at a processing plant in New Bedford. Shortly afterward she was asked to transfer to Maritime Terminal where she works today.

Andrew Arnett, 26 years old at the time of the interview, is a captain of Jonah crab and scallop boats in New Bedford, MA. He has been fishing since age 16 and running boats since age 22. As one of the youngest captains in the fleet, he sees himself as one of a select few who are keeping fishing heritage alive.

Scope and Content Note

Patricia Galdamez is from El Salvador and is the team leader of the frozen fish line at a large fish processing plant in New Bedford. She enjoys her job and working with the various fresh and frozen fish products.  

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Pablo Sam immigrated to New Bedford, MA from Guatemala in 2004 and works at Bergie’s Seafood Inc. He started as a fish cutter and over the last couple of years has become a machine operator and a mechanic for 50 percent of the machines at his location. Pablo enjoys his work and plans on becoming a more efficient mechanic for the company.

In this interview, Virginia Martins discusses the challenges of being in the fishing industry, including the changes to the industry, the role of women in the fishing industry, and the role of climate change and technology in the fishing industry. She shares her personal work history and her experiences at Bay Fuels, Inc.

Tor Bendiksen discusses what it’s like to be involved in a family-owned business that manufactures fishing gear such as nets and trawls for commercial fishermen. He made his first fishing trip at the age of thirteen aboard his father’s trawler. He understands from first-hand experience how fishing gear works and the needs of his customers. He discusses how fishing regulations have evolved from when he first stated fishing to what they are today. The regulations have a tremendous impact on how he designs his custom fishing gear.

Tony Vieira is a 46-year-old marine electronics specialist and the owner of T & K Marine Electronics in New Bedford, MA.  He describes his work history in the marine electronics field, his company, and the work he does on a day-to-day basis.  He also speaks about the changes in technology and the industry he has seen over the past twenty-five years. 

Valeriano Garcia is from Guatemala and his job is an essential part of the fishing industry in New Bedford. He shares experiences working at a warehouse and skills that are required.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Tomas Calil is from Guatemala and is a supervisor at Bergie’s Seafood.  He has been working at Bergie’s for 15 years and knows all aspects of production at the plant.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Cindy Pettway was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts and grew up in Rochester. She worked at a motorcycle shop and then in 1979 she began working at her father’s shop and has been working there since. She sells Caterpillar parts and engines to local fishermen with her husband. In this interview she describes how the industry has evolved and what her personal experience has been like.

David Marujo was born in New Bedford in 1968 and has lived in Acushnet since age 18.  He began working at Crystal Ice 31 years ago and has worked his way up to his current job as supervisor.  He describes the process of making different kinds of ice, how the technology has changed in the last 30 years, reflects on the changing waterfront and the trickle down effects on shore-side businesses as quotas restrict fishing days and demand for services, and the next generations are/are not coming into the business.  “The waterfront is nothing like

Chad Joseph Bergeron was born on August 28, 1978, in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He grew up in New Bedford and has a deep-rooted connection to the fishing industry through his family. His grandfather, a fisherman for over thirty years, was the one who introduced the family to the industry. Bergeron's father also worked in the industry, initially helping his grandfather by lumping boats. Bergeron continues the family tradition, working in the New Bedford fishing industry.

In this interview, Paul Anthony gives a rich description of the fuel delivery industry on the New Bedford waterfront. He discusses the process of fueling a fishing boat, how payment works, fluctuations in fuel pricing, and the relationships between dockworkers.

Paul Lemieux is 60 years old, a third-generation French-Canadian who grew up in the New Bedford area and attended the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational High School [Voc] where he learned welding. He started his own business, Blue Fleet Welding Services, in 1984 and has been working on the New Bedford waterfront in this capacity for 33 years.

In this interview Richard Gallagher, an electrical engineer at Chris Electronics in New Bedford, MA, shares his work history, discusses various electrical components of boats, details his daily work, and explains the relationships with customers, fishermen, and between co-workers at Chris Electronics.

Phillip Mello describes his duties as a general manager at Bergies Seafood in New Bedford, MA, including auctions, transportation, fish cutting, sales, deliveries and networking. He joined Tichon Seafood in 1980 and continues to be active throughout the Fairhaven/New Bedford Harbor. Mello enjoys photography and documenting the fishing community. Changes in weather and fishing regulations have altered prices, catches and the economy of the fishing industry.

Bob Mitchell was born in Boston in 1943. His father, also named Bob, started the R.A. Mitchell marine engines and generators supply company in New Bedford, which he [son Bob] took over and is now largely run by him and two of his daughters on the New Bedford waterfront. Mitchell talks about his engines apprenticeship in England, after high school, with the Lister engine company, and his return to New Bedford to work with his father.

Description of the job of the tankerman, a licensed position on a fuel barge. Explanation about the benefit of fueling from a barge rather than a truck. Description of changes in fishing and scalloping since 1977. Demographic changes in the fishing community, lack of interest among young people. Some discussion about nicknames and superstitions, loss of the old-timers.

Robert Hicks is a fifty-two year old Plant Manager of Crystal Ice in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  He has been working at Crystal Ice since 1989, starting as a laborer and working his way up to Plant Manager. In this interview he describes his family history in the business, his early days at Crystal Ice, changes in the plant over the years, types of ice the plant makes, icing the fishing boats, other projects of Crystal Ice, and his favorite and least favorite parts of the job.

Sarah Fortin describes herself as “a Jane of all trades.” She’s now 29 and has been working at Reidar’s since she was in high school, first starting part time after school to learn specific skills, and then went full time and has been there ever since.

Sebastian Ayala is a forty-three year old foreman at the Norpel plant in New Bedford.  He has been working at the Norpel plant for almost fifteen years, working his way up to a foreman position. In this interview Sebastian describes coming to New Bedford from El Salvador and his work at Norpel, including various positions in the factory as well as safety concerns.

Rosa emigrated to America from El Salvador and works cleaning fish at a seafood processing plant. Rosa discusses her job training, work with scallops and fish cleaning on the night shift.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Santos Tebalan is from Guatemala and now works in New Bedford painting fishing industry boats. Tebalan shares information about his early years in America, his current work as a boat painter and his thoughts on the future of the fishing industry.

This oral history was produced in 2017 as part of the Workers on the Waterfront Oral History Project conducted by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center with funding from an Archie Green Fellowship provided by the Library of Congress.

Henry Allerdt was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943 and moved to the New Bedford area when he was seven or eight years old. He attended Fairhaven High School and spent his summers fishing with his father, who was a fisherman during the Depression. He fished with his father on a small dragger, a sixty-five-foot boat, and also fished independently for extra money while in school. After high school, he continued working in the fishing industry, learning different methods from various people in the fleet.

Natalie Ameral, a female of Portuguese descent, was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 1994. She worked as a government contractor and port sampler, collecting lengths and biological samples such as otoliths based on a list provided by NOAA Fisheries. Ameral was the only female among seven port samplers in her company. She started working as a port sampler the year after graduating from college.

Bill Adler, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association, began lobstering in 1963 and has remained involved in the industry since. He started by gathering sea moss off the coast of Marshfield and transitioned to lobstering. Adler holds a master's degree in English and taught school while continuing to lobster. He has been involved in the politics of the lobstering industry and holds positions in various commissions and organizations, including the Lobster Institute.

This is one of a set of 15 oral histories with Portuguese immigrant fishermen who worked out of the port of New Bedford. The project was sponsored by a NOAA Preserve America grant. In this interview Antonio Borges talks about his long experience as a fisherman in Portugal and the U.S., including fishing techniques used in cod fishing in the Grand Banks, where he had to help sew a shroud to "bury" a co-worker who died at sea. He also describes social and cultural traditions in his native village as well New Bedford, including extensive views on religion.

Born to a barber and a beautician in 1942, Corky Richards did not grow up in the seafood industry, but he got in it as soon as he could. Corky's family moved to Apalachicola when he was a teenager, and he immediately got to work on the bay. Using his carpentry skills, he began to make his own oyster tongs. One year in the off-season, a local marine supply company asked him to make tongs for the store. Soon, Corky was making and selling tongs to oystermen throughout Franklin County. Business was so good that Corky opened a woodworking shop.

George Watkins's family has been in the Apalachicola area since the late nineteenth century. They've witnessed the sponge trade, the loading of cotton boats, and a booming seafood industry. When George was a eight years old, his grandfather began taking him out fishing on weekends. Right then, George knew he wanted to be a fisherman. Over the years he has harvested just about everything the bay has to offer. But one day George decided to take up beekeeping. He says it was because he just liked honey. Like everything else George does, he threw himself into beekeeping with a passion.

Anthony Taranto is the son of Italian immigrants. His parents, Joseph and Madeline Taranto, met in Apalachicola. In 1923 they opened their own seafood house, Taranto's Seafood, and Anthony was born nine years later. As a kid, Anthony remembers his father employing more than fifty shuckers, mostly African Americans. When he was old enough, he helped pack shrimp. They would pour the shrimp into wooden barrels, pack them with ice, and send them to New York on a train. Anthony took over his father's seafood business as an adult. But today, Taranto's Seafood is closed.

Born in 1942, Charles Thompson spent thirty-plus years of his life as a shrimper. In the 1980s, he began making his own nets. Soon, though, Charles could see that the shrimp business was changing. In 1998 he decided to sell his last boat. Not wanting to sit idle, he began repairing nets and making new nets for the shrimpers in the area. At that time, other net shops in Franklin County were closing. A local net maker by the name of James Copeland passed his skills and his patterns on to Charles. Soon, Charles had a new demand for his handiwork.

Carl McCaplan's family has relied on of the Apalachicola Bay for generations. Born in 1968, Carl practically grew up on the water. He remembers going out to oyster with his father when he was just eight years old. As a teenager, Carl moved away, looking for a different life. But the people and the place drew him back. He returned to Apalachicola and invested in his future. In the late 1980s Carl worked with the Oyster Association to replant the oyster beds. Twenty years later, oystermen are now harvesting those areas.

Jiggs Zingarelli's grandfather came to Florida from Puglia, Italy, sometime in the late nineteenth century. Jiggs's parents settled in Apalachicola, where he was born in 1915. His nickname references his childhood habit of dancing Irish jigs. He served in the Army during World War II. When Jiggs returned home, he looked to printing as a trade. He went to Nashville to learn the craft of linotype and opened Franklin County Press in 1946. Soon, he began printing the oyster tags for the seafood houses in the area, and he has been printing them ever since.

Born in 1961, Tommy Ward grew up with an appreciation for the place he still calls home. His parents, Buddy and Martha Pearl Ward, raised Tommy in the business out at their seafood house, 13 Mile. The remote location, thirteen miles west of Apalachicola, gave Tommy a hands-on education in his natural surroundings and life on the bay. As a teenager, Tommy left home and spent some time away at college. He also paid his dues working at some other seafood houses in Apalachicola. Eventually, he returned to the family business. But 13 Mile is not just his business. It's his heritage.

Oringinally from Atlanta, Wes Birdsong and his wife sailed into Apalachicola in 1996. They docked their boat in town at the Deep Water Marina & Boatyard. It soon it became obvious to Wes that the marina needed some attention, so he took it upon himself to become caretaker of the place and help service the boats. Deep Water Marina, once the only working boatyard in the area, serviced all of the commercial fishing boats in Apalachicola. It was also a place for recreational boats to dry dock for repairs. In 2006 the Deep Water Marina & Boatyard closed.

In 1942, the year James Hicks was born, dozens of families lived and worked thirteen miles west of Apalachicola. Their lives revolved around Miller's Fish & Oyster Company on the west end of the Apalachicola Bay, with a clear view of Indian Pass and St. Vincent Island. The Hicks family was one of those families. James's father, Henry Harrison Hicks, worked for the Millers. James followed suit, working on the bay by the time he was twelve years old. He oystered for near thirty-five years before he decided to hang his hat and get a more reliable job.