Richard Wahrenberger is the owner of City Seafood, a restaurant and seafood market in Everglades City. The only Red Tide event he has personally noticed was when he lived in Madeira Beach, some 50 years ago. He generally believes that Red Tide doesn't occur near Everglades City.

Scope and Content Note

Richard Wahrenberger discusses his past experiences with red tide, with his first encounter dating back 50 years ago in Treasure Island. He mentions that red tide used to occur around Madeira Beach, but since he moved to Everglades City, he has not witnessed any red tide events in the Gulf. However, he mentions that the stone crab season has been unusually slow and that many crabbers are struggling due to declining catches. He mentions that some stone crabs from local markets, like Winn Dixie, are mislabeled as stone crabs, but they are not authentic. He also talks about the high price of stone crabs, which doesn't seem to affect sales significantly, as people are still willing to buy them. He notes that the industry has generally been smooth over the last 20 years, with occasional fluctuations in crab catch and prices. However, the current year has been particularly difficult, with the crab catch reduced to around 30% to 40% of a normal year. Richard also shares his experiences with alternative crab sources, such as Pacific crabs, but admits the challenges of finding suitable replacements. He also touches on the impact of hurricanes on the fishery, with Irma causing significant damage to his fish house and boats.