Paul Moore

Location of Interview
Collection Name

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

Description

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.

Interviewer
Date of Interview
05-02-2019
Transcribers

Transcription Hub

Principal Investigator
Audio
Transcript
Biographical Sketch

Paul Moore is a local Cortez stone crabber. Moore has been fishing and stone crabbing in the Cortez area since the 1970s. Moore started stone crabbing in 1980, joining his family's stone crab restaurant business. He primarily worked on crab and lobster boats for the first 15 years after high school. He began running his own boat in 1991. Initially, they fished primarily off the coast of Tampa to Manasota Beach, focusing on stone crabs and lobster fishing in the Florida Keys for about 2.5 to 3 months each year.

Scope and Content Note

Paul Moore discusses his experience in the industry and the impact of red tides on his fishing. Moore recalls a particularly severe red tide in the early 1970s that had a detrimental effect on their business. He also mentions raking dead fish from underneath the restaurant daily, with mullet, catfish, and pinfish being the main affected species. While he doesn't recall specific red tides from his early fishing days, he does remember encountering red tides that resulted in dead crabs in the traps, although it would have to be a severe red tide to affect stone crabs extensively.

Regarding the recent red tide, Moore states that it was one of the longest-lasting red tides he has witnessed. It remained in the area for an extended period, even during storms and rough sea conditions. However, he didn't observe any red tide effects on his fishing grounds off the coast of Tampa to Manasota Beach. He speculates that the red tide may have impacted areas further south. Moore also mentions the cost implications of having to travel longer distances to find crab, as well as the higher prices of stone crabs in recent years.


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