A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Matthew McPherson, Mandy Karnauskas, Suzana Blake

  • 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.

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Interviewee Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Rick Waite and Tom Olyanarnyk A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Rick Waite and Tom Olyanarnyk are commercial fishermen from Cortez. Their earliest memories of a Red Tide event was during the 1970s, where they witnessed a bad fish kill mostly affecting crabs. 

Scope and Content Note

 Michael Jepson, Christina Package-Ward Cortez, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Jack Hale A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Jack Hale is a seasoned fisherman hailing from Naples with over 30 years of experience in stone crab fishing. Throughout his career, he witnessed the decline of stone crabs and the detrimental impact of red tide events on marine life.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz Naples, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Jonnie Walker A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Jonnie Walker has been chartering in the Sarasota base since 1974.  He has lived there since 1957.  His parents had a bait shop on the Venice Jetty in the 60s and 70s.  He works mainly in Sarasota Bay and the Gulf. He mainly fishes trout, redfish, mackerel, kingfish, cobia, grouper, and mangrove snapper.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz, Karla Gore Sarasota, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Bruce Hitchcock A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Bruce Hitchcock is an experienced fisherman and fishing guide residing in Everglades City. He primarily focuses on inshore and backcountry fishing. He has been fishing in the area for over 40 years and has been diving there for 25 years. Throughout his time in Everglades City, he has almost never noticed any Red Tide event until 2012.

 Michael Jepson, Amanda Stoltz Everglades City, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Patrick Gould A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Captain Gould has been backwater fishing for 25 years. He charters approximately 250 trips a year. He also fishes along the beach and up to five or six miles nearshore. He fished offshore briefly from ’95 to ‘99.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz Naples, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Kelly Kurtz A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Kelly Kurtz is a Sarasota native who has been chartering for the last ten years. He mostly fishes inshore but he fishes up to nine miles offshore as well. He talks about if there is another red tide he might have to get another job or a bigger boat so that he can work offshore.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz, Karla Gore Sarasota, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
John Hand A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

John Hand is a 4th generation Floridian. Originally from the Tampa area, he moved down to Everglades City and became a charter captain. John Hand does not allude to any specific Red Tide event, but gives insight to the environmental changes that are happening in the Everglades. The only Red Tide events he talked about occurred in the Tampa area.

Scope and Content Note

 Suzana Blake, Amanda Stoltz Everglades City, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Albert Canfield A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Albert Canfield is a recently retired stone crab fisherman out of Naples.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz Naples, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Matt Davie A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Interview with charter boat captain Matt Davie, of Inshore Addict Charters.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz Sarasota, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
Richard Wahrenberger A History of Red Tide events on the West Coast of Florida

Richard Wahrenberger is the owner of City Seafood, a restaurant and seafood market in Everglades City. The only Red Tide event he has personally noticed was when he lived in Madeira Beach, some 50 years ago. He generally believes that Red Tide doesn't occur near Everglades City.

Scope and Content Note

 Amanda Stoltz Everglades City, FL Southeast Fisheries Science Center
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