Captain Will Thompson is a seasoned fisherman with over 25 years of experience fishing in the Sarasota area. For the past 15 years, he has been actively involved in the charter business, specializing in offshore and near shore fishing with extensive knowledge of targeting species like snapper, grouper, kingfish, goliath grouper, sharps, and cobia.

Scope and Content Note

Captain Will Thomspon provides insights into the recurring nature of red tide events, their impact on fish populations and the fishing industry, and the challenges faced by fishermen in navigating the affected areas. He recalls witnessing red tides since 1996, noting the occasional washing up of feeder and predatory fish on the beach. Red tide events occurred every summer or every other year, causing varying degrees of fish population disruption. After 2005, Captain Will says that red tide events became an annual occurrence during the rainy season. Captain Will discusses the expansion of the red tide zone, reaching different parts of the coast in 2017 and 2018. He describes how he suspended operations from July to October due to the red tide, while some captains relocated to less affected areas. Offshore areas were hit or miss in terms of red tide presence, creating challenges for him. Captain Will also mentions a specific less affected area where he did not conduct charters due to other fishermen.

He goes on to note that the red tide event had significant economic consequences, as potential clients hesitated to book fishing trips, believing the fishery had been destroyed. The absence of sea trout and decline in redfish numbers impacted the industry. Captain Will notes the gradual return of snook but laments the scarcity of redfish and the devastating loss of seagrass, essential for the bay's ecosystem. He attributes red tide's exacerbation to human activities, such as nutrient-rich water runoff and temperature changes, and suggests a correlation with water releases from Okeechobee.