Howard Grimm is the mayor of Everglades City. He has ample experience on the water as commercial and recreational fisherman, and he's also involved in the seafood industry. Traditionally, Red Tide events do not affect the Everglades City area, however Grimm recalls one event in the early 80's which occurred offshore. It was the worst one he personally experienced. 

Scope and Content Note

Traditionally, Red Tide events do not affect the Everglades City area, however Grimm recalls a handful of occurrences in the interview. Grimm mentions that he grew up in the Florida Keys and his parents were also from the area. He moved to Everglade City in 1978 to fish because he preferred the more laid-back atmosphere compared to the crowded Keys. He talks about how the fishery has experienced a decline in production over the past decade, and he attributes it to factors such as economic downturns, storms like Wilma, and changes in the fishing industry. Grimm also discusses his father's belief that red tide was caused by drums containing chemicals from offshore areas used for biological warfare after World War I, but he personally does not think that is the case. He mentions experiencing red tide episodes in the 1980s, particularly in 1982-1983, which affected fishing offshore. He talks about the impact of red tide on fish, with species like trigger fish and puffer fish being some of the first to die and float to the surface. Additionally, he mentions a historical red tide event in the 1960s that reached Pavilion Key and may have caused damage to the clam industry in the area. Grimm recalls a significant event called "black water" about 15 years ago, which killed off an entire area, taking about a year to recover. He also mentions the presence of red tide as a recurring natural occurrence, dating back to his father's childhood. Additionally, Grimm discusses the impact of human activities, such as fertilizer runoff and septic tanks, on the environment, including the occurrence of blue-green algae.