Vincent Letteri, Sr. and Vincent Letteri, Jr.
The Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Hudson River Commercial Fishermen’s Oral History Collection
The Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Hudson River Commercial Fishermen’s Oral History Collection consists of interviews with commercial fishermen conducted in the early 1980s and early 1990s. Locations discussed range from New York City to Albany and time periods from the 1920s to the 1990s. The focus of these interviews is primarily on the decline of the commercial fishing industry, including changes in fishing techniques and gear, changes in water quality and pollution, economic and market changes, and changes in fishing populations, including government regulation.
Content note: Some of the terminology used in these interviews reflects the time period and personalities of the people being interviewed and not that of the Hudson River Maritime Museum or New York Heritage.
You can explore this collection and others at: https://nyheritage.org/collections/oral-histories-hudson-river-commercial-fishermen
On December 5, 1995, Marguerite Holloway interviewed Vincent Letteri Sr. and Vincent Letteri Jr. in Verplanck, New York, for the Hudson River Maritime Museum. The interview explores the Letteri family's multigenerational experience in commercial fishing on the Hudson River, focusing on their practices, innovations, and the challenges they faced. Vincent Sr. reflects on early fishing methods, including stake netting and seining, and their evolution into anchor nets. He recounts memorable stories, such as navigating in fog, winter fishing through ice, and interactions with game wardens. Both narrators discuss the environmental changes in the river, their perspectives on PCB contamination, and the impact of fishing regulations on their livelihood. Vincent Jr. shares his involvement in the family business, describing the transition to crabbing and the decline of commercial shad fishing.
Please Note: The oral histories in this collection are protected by copyright and have been created for educational, research and personal use as described by the Fair Use Doctrine in the U.S. Copyright law. Please reach out Voices@noaa.gov to let us know how these interviews are being used in your research, project, exhibit, etc. The Voices staff can help provide other useful resources related to your inquiry.
The NOAA mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. The Voices Oral History Archives offers public access to a wide range of accounts, including historical materials that are products of their particular times, and may contain offensive language or negative stereotypes.
Voices Oral History Archives does not verify the accuracy of materials submitted to us. The opinions expressed in the interviews are those of the interviewee only. The interviews here have been made available to the public only after the interviewer has confirmed that they have obtained consent.