Tag Archives: Commercial fishing history

Manatee History Matters: Female fishermen of early Cortez

cortez girlThe early fishermen who settled Cortez used skipjacks, or shallow draft sail boats, to bring in their commercial catch. Their nets were made of natural fibers that were heavy when wet and required treatment and drying between uses. Their work was demanding and sometimes dangerous, but they persevered. What you may not know is that some of these hard-working fishermen were women. (And yes, they referred to themselves as fishermen, regardless of their gender.) Read the rest here 20:16

One of the Last Pound Fishermen Tells the Story

“I remember a woman from Brooklyn asked me if it was called a pound fishery because we sold the fish by the pound. Well, we sold it by the pound, the box and the barrel, but that’s not why. I heard it was because like a dog pound, the pockets collect the fish and trap them so it’s a fish pound. But I really don’t know. We just always called it the pound.” Carl Tarnow,  Designed Exhibit for Tuckerton Seaport. Read the rest here 08:18