Thomas Jones oral history interview

Oral history interview with commercial fisherman Tommy Jones. Jones, a native of Fort Pierce, learned to fish as a child and started selling his catch when he was a teenager. He regularly fished Oculina Bank before it was closed and had to change fisheries as a result of the closure, concentrating on kingfish instead of grouper, snapper, and amberjacks. He also tilefished for several years, which was a profitable business, but one he eventually lost interest in. In Jones\u27s opinion, trip limits are the best way to manage a fishery, although he does not particularly like any of the usual management tools. He argues that closed seasons only put more pressure on other fisheries, especially king and Spanish mackerel, because people will shift fisheries to continue earning a living. In this interview, Jones also describes his fishing techniques and some of the equipment he uses