Interviewer: Preetam Prakash

Affiliation: University of Arizona

I was referred to Chris Zirlott when I had asked about people in the area who might be able to speak about the history of the local shrimping and fishing industry. I had called Chris a few weeks later and had spoken with him and his wife. He had said that he would likely be available to do an interview the following week. When I called back the following week, Chris said to come on over to his house in Coden, where we spoke at his dining room table.

Chris had been born in Coden in 1949. He had grown up fishing and shrimping and had also learned the basics of shipbuilding when he was younger. He had worked for a short period of time in the shipyards and the paper mill in Pascagoula and Moss Point before deciding to go back into shrimping and fishing full time. Like his younger brother, Chris had worked on an offshore supply boat briefly before deciding that it was not for him. He discussed how many others involved with the local seafood industry had begun to work for the offshore oil industry over the years as it became more and more difficult to make a living. Chris described the 1980s and part of the 1990s being a good time for shrimping and fishing. However, in recent years, hard economic times had hit the industry forcing Chris to start selling used cars on the side in order to make ends meet.