Rodney Raffield is a former stone crab fisherman and seasoned fishing guide with a 12-year charter fishing career. He comes from a family background in the stone crab industry and has extensive experience navigating the waters around Lostmans River and Cape Sable. Rodney has witnessed sporadic red tide events throughout his fishing history and offers valuable insights into their impact on marine life.

Scope and Content Note

Captain Rodney Raffield says he observed red tide events offshore, but interestingly, he hasn't seen them within the islands close to Naples. These events seem to occur every two to three years, or occasionally every four to five years. Notably, he hasn't encountered red tide in the last 15 years. He hypothesizes potential factors contributing to red tide occurrences in the state, particularly water management issues. He discusses the dumping of water, which he believes may exacerbate red tide, noting that areas with water dumping tend to experience these events. Additionally, he mentions an increase in algae blooms, which he links to climate changes and rising temperatures. Raffield advocates redirecting water southward and using sawgrass to filter water before it reaches the Everglades National Park. Rodney mentions exceptional fishing with a surplus of small fish species like snook, redfish, and sea trout. He speculates that these fish populations may be moving south to avoid red tide events.