George "Bem" Storter
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.
Transcription Hub
George "Bem" Storter is a Naples native and is 83 years old at the time of this interview. He hasn’t been out on the water in around 20 years (since the net ban) but he is known throughout Naples as being a wealth of information. He commercial fished before the net ban and has been recreationally fishing since then.
Scope and Content Note
George "Ben" Storter discusses his experience with red tide in the fishery. He recalls that he didn't witness any red tide until the mid to late 1950s, around 1957. The red tide was initially observed in an area between Doctors Pass and Clam Pass on the north beach, extending for about three to four hundred feet along the beach. Storter mentions that he didn't see any more occurrences until after Hurricane Donna in 1960. After that, the red tide became more prevalent. He notes that the main fish affected during the '60s were observed around Gordon Pass and on the beach. The dead fish seen in Naples Bay were likely carried there by the tide and not directly affected by the red tide in the bay itself.
Storter expresses that red tide has become more frequent and severe over the years, lasting longer and occurring more regularly. He attributes this worsening trend to fertilizer use, suggesting that it may contribute to the occurrence and persistence of red tide. He mentions that the current red tide affects a wide range of fish species, including groupers, jewfish, pompano, and even porkfish.
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