Gary Libby is a seasoned fisherman with deep roots in Port Clyde, Maine, a town with a rich maritime history. Born into a family with a longstanding connection to the sea, Gary's lineage includes coasters and merchant captains, and his family has been an integral part of the area for generations. His life has been shaped by the ebb and flow of the ocean and the fishing industry that has sustained his community for decades.

George speaks about what it is like being a commercial fisherman and also having a summer tourist business to supplement his income.

Project Leaders: Lisa L. Colburn and Kate E. Yentes
Date Collection Completed: On going
Location: www.voices.nmfs.noaa.gov
Geographic Location: Locations across New England

Gilbert Simmons, a lobster fisherman and boat builder, was born on November 25, 1949, and has always resided in Friendship, Maine. He is the owner of Simmons Boat Works, Incorporated, located at 11 Bayberry Drive, Friendship. Gilbert, along with his wife Sharon, has two children named Jason and Ellen and one grandchild. With a passion for hunting and playing, Gilbert spends his free time engaging in these activities. His expertise lies in building custom boats, particularly lobster boats, and he has been in the boat-building business since approximately 1983.

On February 8, 2024, Camden Hunt, Hillary Smith, and Jessica Bonilla interviewed Giulia Cardoso in Bar Harbor, Maine. Giulia Cardoso, born in Milan, Italy, in 1993, is a first-generation fisherman based in Bar Harbor. After studying geography and conducting marine research in Cuba and the Bahamas, she moved to Maine to pursue a master's degree at the College of the Atlantic, where she focused on human ecology and the local lobster industry.

Gladden Schrock is a multifaceted individual with a diverse professional background. He has established himself as a herring fisherman, author, and playwright. His life's work has been significantly influenced by his experiences in the herring stop-seine fishery, which he began in the 1960s. Schrock's career has been rooted in South Bristol, Maine, where he has witnessed and contributed to the evolution of coastal life. His insights extend beyond fishing to encompass the sociocultural transformations within his community, including the interactions with Amish and Mennonite groups.

Glenn Robbins was born in January of 1947 in Castine, Maine. In this interview, he discusses his work teaching industrial arts and as a commercial fisherman. He has been fishing commercially since 1978.
 

Glenn Robbins is a herring and lobster fisherman out of Rockland, ME. He has extensive experience on the sea as he started fishing when he was 12 years old. He compares purse seining and trawling and talks about their effects on marine ecosystems. Robbins also speaks about the changes, as well as the rises and falls, in the fisheries over the past 60 years. Robbins emphasizes how important it is to fish sustainably and protect fishing grounds.

Gordon Murphy, a lifelong resident of Friendship, was born on November 23, 1931, into a family deeply rooted in the town's history, spanning at least five generations. He was the only child of Wilbur and Hazel Burns Murphy. Gordon received his early education in Friendship, attending school until the 10th grade. He completed his studies in Waldoboro, graduating from Waldoboro High School in 1949. Gordon started lobster fishing in seventh grade. In 1951, Gordon joined the U.S. Army Reserves, and two years later, in 1953, he was called up for active duty during the Korean War.

Hallie Arno, originally from New Jersey, moved to Lincolnville, Maine, and developed a strong connection to the ocean. She was a student at College of the Atlantic (COA) in Bar Harbor, ME at the time of this interview.

Scope and Content Note

Harley Wallace, born on May 21, 1951, is a lifelong resident of Friendship, Maine, where his family has deep roots for four generations.  Harley has lived in Friendship his entire life and comes from a family with a long tradition of lobstering spanning four generations. He has three sisters and one brother and is the father of two children with one grandchild. Harley began his lobstering journey at the age of six, accompanying his father on the boat.