Terry Chuang
Dock Stories
The Dock Stories project incorporates oral history research with other research methods in order to address simultaneous issues being experienced by fishing communities in Georgia. The project goals are to improve infrastructure and industry sustainability by identifying improvement opportunities within the constraints of land use, environmental impacts, weather patterns, aging infrastructure, and evolving vessel needs, while also documenting the cultural history of commercial fishing docks in Georgia. An integral part of the project is training student researchers in the Georgia Southern Anthropology program. Under the guidance of Dr. Sweeney Tookes (Georgia Southern University) and Bryan Fluech (University of Georgia Marine Extension & Georgia Sea Grant), students are receiving comprehensive training in conducting interviews, oral histories, and appropriate interview protocols. They then spend several days at a time on the Georgia coast, learning firsthand about the marshes, estuaries, vessels, and communities before commencing lengthy oral history interviews with local experts on the industry. This project began in 2024 and will continue through 2026, coordinated by Graduate Student Project Manager, Kristin Meeuwen.
Lilah Henderson
On February 28, 2025, Lilah Henderson and Blake Pavri interviewed Terry Chuang in Darien, Georgia, for the Dock Stories oral history project. Terry Chuang immigrated to the United States from Taiwan in 1981. After earning a graduate degree in computer science and working in the defense industry, he opened several restaurants in St. Louis. In 1999, Chuang relocated to Georgia to explore the seafood trade and ultimately transitioned into jellyfish processing, a unique niche that allowed him to support the local fishing community in McIntosh County. He founded Golden Island International and has been a key figure in the dockside economy for over two decades.
In this interview, Chuang discusses his unexpected shift into jellyfish processing after the decline of the shrimp industry, explaining how cannonball jellyfish became a valuable export product to Asia. He describes the physical infrastructure of his dock operations, including environmental improvements, community relations, and dock maintenance. Chuang outlines the labor-intensive nature of jellyfish processing, which involves hand-separating jellyfish and salting them to preserve freshness, and reflects on the seasonal workforce and his efforts to maintain favorable working conditions. He highlights the impact of environmental changes, hurricanes, and trade policy on his business, as well as his ongoing collaborations with the University of Georgia on jellyfish research and product development. Chuang also expresses concern about the future of the industry and emphasizes the need for investment in sustainable aquaculture, particularly farm-raised fish, as a viable path forward for Georgia’s working waterfronts. Throughout the interview, he shares anecdotes about adapting to life in a rural Southern fishing community and maintaining cultural and business ties across international borders.
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