UGA Marine Extension Service received a $41,837 matching grant from the U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service through the National Maritime Heritage grant program for a film documentary project entitled Georgia’s Rich Maritime Cultural Heritage: Generational Commercial Fishing Families.
The documentary will highlight the maritime cultural history of commercial fishing along the Georgia coast, from its boom in the 1950s and eventual decline in the 1970s and 1980s, through to its current prospects for recovery. The grant will be administered through the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to complete this timely project,” said UGA Marine Extension Interim Associate Director Katy Austin Smith. “Over the last several decades, Georgia’s commercial fishing industry has faced many challenges. Working with a film production crew, we will document Georgia’s rich maritime history through stories shared by fishing families, inspiring our audience with their dedication, resilience and innovation in the midst of these challenges, and portraying their important role in shaping Georgia’s coast and heritage.”