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Words And Portraits: Gloucester Fishing Industry

WBUR's Andrea Shea reports on a new exhibition at the Cape Ann Museum. It's "Portraits of a Working Waterfront," with photographs by Jim Hooper. See below for eight of the portraits and subjects talking about their lives and what it meant to them to sit for the photos. (You can read her full story about the project here.)

From left: Thomas Testaverde Jr., Joseph “Turk” Curcuru and Thomas Testaverde Sr. (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
From left: Thomas Testaverde Jr., Joseph “Turk” Curcuru and Thomas Testaverde Sr. (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"He’s 81 now but he still participates, you know? I’m fourth generation, my son's fifth generation. I just want to continue it and hopefully we have a sixth generation coming."


Neptune’s Harvest and Ocean Crest Seafoods - top row, left to right: Leonard Parco, Anthony Parco, Nicholas Parco and Ann (Parco) Molloy; sitting: Abbey Parco, Maria (Parco) Churchill; floor: Maribeth Porter, Jeffrey Parco (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
Ocean Crest Seafoods - top row, left to right: Leonard Parco, Anthony Parco, Nicholas Parco and Ann (Parco) Molloy; sitting: Abbey Parco, Maria (Parco) Churchill; floor: Maribeth Porter, Jeffrey Parco (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"Out of 45 employees in our business 16 are family, so we tried to get all 16 down there, which was impossible because we had to run the company too, but we got eight out of the 16 down there for the picture, so I thought that was great."


Frank, left, and Al Cottone (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
Frank, left, and Al Cottone (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"He started fishing when he was 9 but not because he wanted to but because he had to. And he grew to love it and he calls me every day that he’s fishing, he still wants to know where I am, what I’m doing. It’s something that can’t be described in words."


Gloucester Marine Railways manager Viking Gustafson (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
Gloucester Marine Railways manager Viking Gustafson (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"One thing that strikes me when I look at this is that there are actually some young people in these pictures, and I think of ourselves as a dying breed, but there they are, so gives me a little bit of hope."


Bob Koeller, owner of Seatronics, a marine electronics business in Gloucester (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
Bob Koeller, owner of Seatronics, a marine electronics business in Gloucester (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"This was a good idea, taking these photos. It shows working people, what they do, and not dressed in formal clothes or business suits, and they’re trying to make a living. But we’re still surviving although it’s getting harder and harder all of the time. I’m passed my retirement age but I’m still at it because I like it."


Anthony, left, and Joseph Orlando (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
Anthony, left, and Joseph Orlando (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"Bought my own boat when I was 22 years old, and now I’ve got six grandchildren, and I then I thought about it: Well maybe someday they’ll see me in those pictures, you know? Just so people will know about who we are."


James Orlando (top left), Gerald Chianciola (top right), Russell Sherman (center), Shawn Grasso (bottom left) and John Aiello (bottom right) (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
James Orlando (top left), Gerald Chianciola (top right), Russell Sherman (center), Shawn Grasso (bottom left) and John Aiello (bottom right) (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"I was a history major and I love history and this is a snapshot of history, and it’s very important because of the people. It’s the people who make history."


Leo, left, and Paul Vitale (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)
Leo, left, and Paul Vitale (From “Portraits of a Working Waterfront” by Jim Hooper, courtesy of the Cape Ann Museum)

"I wish we had done it years ago, we’re in a tough position now. May be the last time you get all of us together for some photos."

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