Cape Verdean men have struggled for generations to work in professions, guaranteeing enough income to provide for their families.  They have gained a foothold on New Bedford’s docks unloading and loading foreign ships, particularly because workers on those ships often don’t have passports or papers that allow them to debark from the ship within the United States. Thus, longshoremen up and down the United States seaboard provide those services.  Many of these longshoremen are part of the International Longshoremen’s Union, abbreviated as the ILA.

Reidar and Kirsten Bendiksen are a Norwegian couple residing in New Bedford, involved in the gear business, specifically net making and mending. Reidar was born in Norway in 1946 and moved to the United States when he was sixteen. His father was a fisherman who migrated to the US in 1951. Reidar himself held various positions in the fishing industry, including skipper, before transitioning into the gear business. Kirsten, born in New Bedford and raised in Dartmouth, comes from a family with a fishing background. Her father was a fisherman who met her mother on an ocean liner.

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.

Kristin Decas served as the Executive Director of the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission (NBHDC). However, please note that there may have been changes in personnel or positions since then. Kristin Decas is an experienced executive in the maritime industry with a background in port management and economic development. She has held leadership positions in several ports across the United States and has been recognized for her contributions to the maritime sector.

Born in 1889, Mr. Hopkins describes his experiences growing up in Truro, Massachusetts.  He was the 6th of 8 children and was delivered by a midwife.  At 88 he attributes his longevity to good genes and cod liver oil.

Captain Larry Yacubian is a seasoned commercial fisherman with a rich maritime heritage. Born in Westport Point, Massachusetts, Yacubian comes from a long line of fishermen, tracing his roots back to his father's family in Nova Scotia. His career in fishing has seen him progress from a "shacker" to the captain of his own boat, demonstrating his deep understanding and experience in the industry. Yacubian currently resides in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Lars Vinjerud, a Norwegian-Irish American, is a former fisherman and captain who now serves as the Owner and President of Fleet Fisheries. Born on June 18, 1959, in Hackensack, New Jersey, Vinjerud moved to New Bedford at the age of nine or ten. His early fascination with the waterfront led him to start working in the fishing industry at a young age. He quit school in eighth grade and hitchhiked to Alaska, where he spent three years king crabbing and salmon fishing. Upon returning to New Bedford at 18, he joined a scallop boat.

Laurie Botelho, a native of Puerto Rico, is a dedicated and passionate entrepreneur in the fishing industry. With a background in food-borne illness and a deep understanding of the fishing community, Laurie embarked on a journey to provide a vital product for fishermen. Her company specializes in manufacturing high-quality scallop bags, which play a crucial role in preserving the catch and ensuring fishermen adhere to regulations. Starting her business in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Laurie recognized the importance of creating a consistent and reliable product.

In this interview, LaVerne Gomes begins by speaking about growing up in Wareham, Massachusetts, before moving to New Bedford, where she was raised by a single mother in a large Cape Verdean family. After dropping out of school at the age of 16, she pursued work in the Frionor Kitchen in New Bedford, where she worked in the cold fish house for 27 years, preparing frozen fish as it came off the conveyor belt.

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.