Dave Zalewski is an experienced charter boat captain  from Madeira Beach. With over 35 years of expertise, he specializes in offshore fishing along Florida's coast. 

Scope and Content Note

Dave recalls experiencing red tide events throughout his chartering history, ranging from mild blooms to major ones. He particularly remembers a severe red tide event that occurred about five or six years ago, similar in devastation to the one happening during the interview. Dave discusses the impacts of red tide on fishing and marine life. He notes that during major red tide events, fishing inshore artificial reefs becomes almost nonexistent due to the widespread effect of the red tide. 

Dave says his business is not significantly affected, as he primarily fishes in deeper waters, beyond the red tide-affected areas. Dave hypothesizes that red tide is a natural occurrence related to the balance of nature, but human activities have exacerbated its impact on marine ecosystems. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting nature's balance and the potential consequences of disrupting it. He speculates on the possible causes of red tide, particularly the potential connection to beach nourishment and sand dredging activities. Dave also mentions the effect of red tide on baitfish populations, which he noticed had significantly decreased during the red tide event. Additionally, he shares his interest in understanding the behavior and migration patterns of certain fish species, such as barracuda and pinfish.