A photo exhibit at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut shows the lives of one of the last commercial trap fishing families in southern New England.
The exhibition “Fish & Forrest: Through the Lens of a Commercial Fishermom” which opened on Saturday, Feb. 4, was created by third generation fisherwoman and mother, Corey Wheeler Forrest.
She has been fishing for over 25 years with her father and family. Forrest said with fewer people wanting to become fishermen, the future is uncertain.
“We’ll just keep going for as long as we can. I know my dad wants to see that for his kids and possibly grandkids,” she said. “Think that goes with the territory of fishing, not just our particular fishery. The future is really uncertain, whether it’s a pandemic or falling fish prices, regulations.”
“I think that fishermen to the core always remain optimistic and hopeful,” Forrest continued.” We keep going even when it’s bad. We do it because we love it — not for the money.”
Forrest — whose fishing-trap boat leaves Rhode Island's Sakonnet Harbor — said she hopes the exhibition, which runs until the summer, will give people some insight into the fishing world and what it takes to get fish from the sea to the dinner plate.
The exhibit is a collection of Forrest family photos, as well as a documentary about her family.
Forrest has been fishing for over 25 years, since she was 19 years-old. She still fishes on a daily basis with her daughter and father.
