Human connection to our nation's fisheries comes alive through oral histo...( Voices from the Fisheries an archi...)

Voices from the Fisheries, an archive of oral histories of recreational and commercial fishermen and the communities and families that rely on them, documents the human experience with the nation's coastal, marine and Great Lakes environments and living marine resources.

Social scientists Susan Abbott-Jamieson and Patricia Pinto da Silva of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service have partnered with academic institutions, historical societies and other government agencies and organizations around the country to create Voices as a clearinghouse for oral histories related to NOAA's mission. Support for the project has been provided by the Preserve America Grant Initiative and NOAA's Office of Science and Technology.

"All of us, as different as we may be, have common struggles and are often united by our experiences," said Pinto da Silva, a social scientist at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Mass. "The human connection to our nation's marine resources is one of those experiences we want to preserve and share. So many people have stories to tell, and we don't want that history and perspective to be lost."

The researchers note that people may have audiotapes in boxes under their desks or in drawers that aren't available to others, but with a little bit of guidance they can be added to the collection and shared. Individuals can also record an interview for the collection by following some simple steps provided on the Voices Web site ( http://voices.nmfs.noaa.gov). Museums and smaller organizations may have oral history collections that would gain far greater exposure by being part of this central repository.

"The goal of the project is to consolidate existing collections and encourage the creation of new oral history collections from around the U.S.," Pinto da Silva said. "We want to make the collections that already exist much more accessibl
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