John Hand
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
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
In this interview, John discusses his fishing business, which he has been running for over 30 years. He says that he primarily targets species such as tarpon, snook, redfish, speckled trout, triple-tailed, magnum snapper, and sharks. John talks about how fishing in the area has changed over the years due to natural events like the snook kill in 2010 and the impact of Hurricane Irma in 2017, which affected the population of redfish. Despite these challenges, he says the fishing business has been successful, with steady clients and repeat customers. John mentions that the biggest threat to his business is misinformation spread by media reports about red tide events in Florida, which can deter potential clients from visiting the area.
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