Buster McKay
A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida
This collection was created during the 2017-2018 red tide event that had major ecosystem impacts on the west coast of Florida. Fish harvesters and related businesses suffered major setbacks during this time. Fishers, with a long history on the water and oftentimes second or third generation involved in the fishing business, reminisce about how the ecosystem has changed during their and their families time and the red tides they have witnessed. The collection provides information on species affected, specific areas affected, as well as discussions related to adaptation behaviors and specific business impacts.
Biographical Sketch:
Buster McKay is a seasoned fisherman who has been fishing throughout Florida's gulf coast since the late 1940s. He has been fishing Florida’s gulf coast since the early 1940s, commercially catching red snapper and grouper.
Scope and Content:
Buster McKay recalls the development of commercial fishing throughout the Gulf Coast, with the industry and recreational boom in the late 1950s and the subsequent restrictions that challenged his fishing practices. This boom led to strict restrictions, shrinking the area off the coast they could fish to a 200-mile region between the Gulf Coast and Mexico. McKay cites the first red tide of his career in the mid-1970s between Cape Coral and Panama City. During his first interaction with the red tide, McKay was unsure of what was occurring, and it wasn’t until much later that he understood the red tide. He did, however, understand the gravity of the situation and he recalls collecting the dead fish where they would normally have successful catches. He says that the red tide events would last two to three months (during the seven-month season) and reappear in the area every eight to ten years.
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