Shareen Davis is deeply connected to the coastal town of Chatham, where she was born and raised. Growing up in a large family during the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Shareen navigated the challenges of a struggling household. Her family's ties to the fishing industry ran deep, with her maternal grandfather being a pivotal figure in her life. Despite societal gender distinctions of the time, Sharleen defied expectations and embraced a strong voice for fairness and equity, advocating for those who needed support.

Shareen Davis is a fifty-year-old woman from Chatham, Massachusetts. She is a 13th generation Cape Codder with a rich history in the fishing industry. Davis owns a weir fishing business and provides shore support. She has also been a fisherman in the past and is a community activist. Her home port and hail port are both in Chatham, MA, specifically Stage Harbor. Davis comes from a fishing family, with her grandfather and uncles being fishermen and her mother working in the industry. She met her husband, Ernie, in a coffee shop where a group of fishermen would come in for breakfast.

Sharon Cummings has been an integral part of the fishing industry for over three decades. Born in New Bedford and now 62 years old, she has dedicated her life to the settlement house and bookkeeping aspects of the fish industry. At Freonor, she was one of the original female employees. Her career path led her through various positions, from trucking for the fishing industry to working for the poverty program and even a real estate office.

Shawn Goulart, 35 years old at the time of the interview, is a captain and deckhand based in Gloucester, MA. Shawn got into recreational fishing as a hobby in his early teens, and then quickly transitioned to commercial fishing, at a time when opportunities were plentiful in Gloucester. Since that time, he has seen the local groundfish fleet shrink, forcing him to spend months away each year fishing out of other East Coast ports to support his two young daughters.

Shawn Sipple is a former fisherman and past winner of the scallop-shucking contest. He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and attended New Bedford High School. Shawn got into fishing because his father, an ex-commercial fisherman, was tragically burned in a boat fire and could no longer fish. Despite the dangers of the profession, Shawn started fishing at the age of 17 after completing high school. He learned the tricks of the trade from Peter Kilshaw, the owner of Northern Edge, who mentored him. Shawn's father also owned the National Social Club in New Bedford.

In this interview, Silvina “Sal” Sequeira speaks about immigrating from Cape Verde to Portugal as a child with his family and then from Portugal to the United States with his wife as an adult. He discusses his luck in having the opportunity to learn how to weld, which helped him obtain the job he has held as an industrial welder for 27 years at Blue Fleet Welding in New Bedford, MA. He talks about how physically demanding his job is but also notes that he relishes the challenges and is happiest when his work requires a variety of skills and knowledge.

Part 1: Born in 1908, Mr. Smith tells us that he is a fifth generation Simeon. He is 69 and lives in Eastham. His grandfather built the Orleans post office and owned several houses in the area. Mr. Smith was born at Whalewalk Farm, a local landmark in Orleans. He remembers his grandmother's story of his grandfather told to deposit an unwanted family of cats on Simpson's Island where he had corn fields. At the end of the day he found they had left the  island and gone back to the mainland.

Interview with Captains Sol Jacobs, John Chisholm and Joseph Smith of Gloucester, MA by William Wakeham and Richard Rathbun. Interview contains information on New England mackerel fishery.

Interview with fisherman Solomon A. Rowe of Gloucester, MA by William Wakeham, Richard Rathbun and Hugh M. Smith of the U.S. Fish Commission. Interview contains descriptions of the mackerel fishery.

Stephen Lacombe is a male lumper from New Bedford, MA. He was born in Fall River and was introduced to the profession of lumping by his stepfather, who was also a fish lumper. Stephen's brother, Ed, also worked as a lumper before becoming a firefighter in New Bedford. Stephen has been working as a lumper since he was eighteen and is currently the President of the lumpers Union. Despite initially not intending to make a career out of lumping, Stephen has been in the profession for over 25 years.