Interview with spotter pilot Wayne Davis of Wakefield, RI in which he recounts experiences in the harpoon swordfish fishery as well as his career as a spotter pilot. Interview contains information on fish migration patterns, seasonal events, the process of spotting fish, interactions with other marine creatures and the community of Wakefield, RI.

William Overholtz was born and raised in Lima, Ohio. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in fresh waters fisheries and limnology from Ohio State and his Ph.D. from Oregon State. He began his career with the Fish and Wildlife Service at Rock Island, Illinois. In 1976, Overholtz began working at Woods Hole and completed many survey cruises on various foreign vessels His work focused on groundfish and herring. He spent time in the population dynamics group as well as working on acoustic surveys and assessment modeling. He retired from NMFS after 34 years of service.