Dr. Samuel G. Pooley earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii with a dissertation on macroeconomic decision-making, and a Masters in Economics from the University of Birmingham in England. He began working in 1981 at what was then the Southwest Fisheries Science Center‟s Honolulu Laboratory (HL), later the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center. During his career with NMFS, he served in many roles including acting Regional Administrator, acting chief scientists, and finally Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Director for 10 years. Dr.

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.

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.

Dr. Sheila Stiles was born in Memphis, Tennessee. As a young child she developed a love for nature which led to her focusing on science in college. She majored in biology at Xavier University, New Orleans. After graduation, she had the opportunity to work at the Milford Laboratory for the summer and was asked to stay on at the end of the summer. She was the first full time African American woman to be hired at the Lab. She credits her many mentors and her love of biology as the reason for her long, successful career. Dr.

Dr. Steve Turner was born on May 23, 1949 in Providence, Rhode Island. He began working in 1974 at what was then the Mid Atlantic Fisheries Science Center at the Sandy Hook lab which was merged into the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. He received his PhD from Rutgers University in 1986. He moved to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center from 1984, and is currently the Fisheries Statistics Division Chief at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami.

Dr. Susan Abbott-Jamieson is a retired anthropologist with the Social Sciences Branch of NOAA, where she worked as the Senior Social Scientist in the Office of Science and Technology in the National Marine Fisheries Service. She joined the Air Force after high school, and later received a B.A. from Idaho State University and a Master’s and PhD. in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

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.

Thea Johanos has been a research wildlife biologist with the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (and its precursor, the Honolulu Lab) since 1982. She grew up in both Texas and Pennsylvania, and did her undergraduate and graduate work at Penn State University. After graduate school, she applied for work in Hawaii, as her family had just moved there. Her first job in Hawaii was with the US Forest Service working with Hawaiian honeycreepers and other forest birds.

Dr. Thomas Noji grew up on Long Island. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Earlham College, and completed his Master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of Keele in Germany. Dr. Noji worked in Germany and Norway for 21 years, returning to the United States in 2001 to work at the Sandy Hook Lab of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. As of this recording in 2016, he is the Ecosystems Processes Division Chief.

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