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Hurricane recovery grants available for fishing captains, guides

Hurricane recovery grants available for fishing captains, guides

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Tourism.

In response to the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton to the local recreational fishing industry, Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper have launched grants of up to $1,000 to help cover lost income and recovery expenses.

The grants are designed to provide financial aid to local recreational fishing professionals impacted by the 2024 hurricanes. The grant is funded by the Inter­national Game Fish Association’s Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund and eligible captains and guides can apply for competitive grants of up to $1,000 to help cover lost income and recovery expenses.

“On Florida’s Gulf Coast, our waters are more than scenery, they are a lifeline. Following the 2024 hurricane season, which brought widespread damage, many who depend on healthy waters for their livelihoods are still struggling to recover,” ac­cording to a press release from Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper.

“The recreational fishing industry plays a vital role in safeguarding our local waters, often serving as the first line of defense by reporting pollution incidents,” Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Dr. Abbey Tyrna said. “We’re proud to support this community and give back to those who faced economic hardship during the 2024 hur­ricane season.”

Applications are open until Saturday, Aug. 2. Grant recipients will be announced on Friday, Aug. 15. The online application is available at the WARF website.

Recreational fishing industry professionals impacted by Hur­ricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, including charter captains, operating within the Suncoast and Tampa Bay regions are eligible, with priority given to those who work fulltime in the recreational fishing industry.

Required documentation includes a valid U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license, proof of insur­ance, a completed W-9 form and verified proof of trip cancellations or revenue loss (e.g., booking records, customer statements).

“Charter captains are the tip of the spear when it comes to our coalition of water quality advocates in Tampa Bay,” said Justin Tramble, executive direc­tor of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. “This industry took a significant and unfortunate hit during last season’s historic hurricane season. We are honored to stand with our partners to support our community.”

The Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund was established in 2017 in partnership with Costa Sunglass­es. Since its inception, the fund has distributed over $305,000 to fishing communities impacted by natural disasters across the U.S., Caribbean and Central America, helping local guides recover and rebuild, according to the press release.

“Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper share a united mission to protect and restore the waters of the region to ensure fishable, swimmable and drinkable water for all,” according to the press release. “Together, these Waterkeeper organizations are committed to supporting and giving back to the fishing community that has been heavily impacted by natural disasters, standing alongside those who support and depend on healthy waters.”

To learn more about Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, visit their websites at www.suncoastwater­keeper.org and www.tampabaywaterkeeper.org/

Reel Time: Waterkeepers guide hurricane recovery grants

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

The waters on Florida’s Gulf Coast are more than the scenery, wildlife and beaches, they are also a lifeline for fishing guides. Following the 2024 hurricane season, which brought widespread damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many who depend on healthy waters for their livelihoods are still struggling to recover.

In response, Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper are teaming up to provide much-needed financial aid to local recreational fishing professionals impacted by these storms. Thanks to a grant from the International Game Fish Association’s Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund, eligible captains and guides can apply for competitive grants of up to $1,000 to help cover lost income and recovery expenses.

“The recreational fishing industry plays a vital role in safeguarding our local waters, often serving as the first line of defense by reporting pollution incidents,” said Dr. Abbey Tyrna, executive director of Suncoast Waterkeeper. “We’re proud to support this community and give back to those who faced economic hardship during the 2024 hurricane season.”

Application details:

  • Open: July 26 – Aug. 2
  • Who’s eligible: Recreational fishing industry professionals impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, including charter captains, operating within the Suncoast and Tampa Bay regions. Priority will be given to those who work full-time in the recreational fishing industry.
  • Required documentation: A valid U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license, proof of insurance, completed W-9 form, verified proof of trip cancellations or revenue loss (booking records, customer statements).

Apply at https://bit.ly/WARF_grant beginning July 26.

“Charter captains are the tip of the spear when it comes to our coalition of water quality advocates in Tampa Bay,” said Justin Tramble, executive director of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. “This industry took a significant and unfortunate hit during last season’s historic hurricane season. We are honored to stand with our partners to support our community.”

Grant recipients will be announced on Aug. 15. Funds will be awarded based on the applicant’s primary service area, either the Tampa Bay or Suncoast region.

This effort is made possible by the Worldwide Anglers Relief Fund (WARF), established in 2017 in partnership with Costa Sunglasses. Since its inception, WARF has distributed over $305,000 to fishing communities impacted by natural disasters across the U.S., Caribbean and Central America, helping local guides recover and rebuild. Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper share a united mission to protect and restore the waters of the region to ensure fishable, swimmable, and drinkable water for all.

Together, these Waterkeeper organizations are committed to supporting and giving back to the fishing community that has been heavily impacted by natural disasters, standing alongside those who support and depend on healthy waters.

To learn more about and join the work of Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, visit their websites at https://www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org/ and https://www.tampabaywaterkeeper.org/

Reel Time: Waterman tournament challenging

Reel Time: Waterman tournament challenging

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

The fourth annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend. The two-day, fly-only redfish tournament with a snook calcutta was a sellout with a total of 145 anglers registered. The fishing boundaries were wide-ranging, including the west coast of Florida from Crystal River to the southernmost tip of Sanibel Island. The photo submission format and the iAngler Tournament app made it possible for fishermen in this entire range to participate. The tournament culminated in an awards banquet and prize-rich raffle at the Bradenton Yacht Club on Saturday evening that was made possible by many generous sponsors. All proceeds from the fly fishing tournament benefited Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the protection, preservation and improvement of the Tampa Bay watershed.

The two-angler teams received a collared long-sleeve tournament shirt, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper hats, dinner for two at the awards ceremony and one raffle ticket for each angler. The target species were redfish and snook. Scoring was done by the highest combination of the two longest redfish caught over the two days. If a tie had occurred in any of the three top places, it would have been decided by a casting competition based on distance and accuracy.

Dr. Jennifer Rehage was the guest speaker at this year’s banquet. Rehage is a coastal ecologist and professor at the Institute of the Environment at Florida International University in Miami. In her presentation, she explained how water management decisions, water quality and climate affect fish and the quality of recreational fisheries throughout Florida. Her work involves tapping into angler’s local ecological knowledge and knowledge co-production with fishing guides. Her recent work has focused on the presence of pharmaceuticals in our fisheries and the implications for wastewater management, the health of Floridians and Florida’s valuable estuaries.

This year’s anglers faced tough competition from the weather including cloud cover that made sight fishing challenging. To give an idea of the degree of difficulty between the fish and the weather, only 17 teams out of 76 caught at least two redfish to fill their card. Only 34 teams out of 76 caught at least one redfish. The winner of the tournament was Team Juice consisting of Capt. Greg Peterson and Christopher Dierlam with a total of 68.75 inches. Second place was awarded to Trip Saunders and Sean Kersting of Team TBS Beverage with a total of 63.5 inches. In third place was Tim Metcalf and Marlin Marshall, Team The Other Line with 59.6 inches.

I spoke with Team Juice member Peterson after the tournament awards and he offered this commentary.

“The weather was pretty tough for sight fishing and we never got good visibility once in two days,” Peterson said. “We had a ton of tailing fish pre-fishing on Thursday before the tournament, but they were gone Friday morning probably due to higher water and a south wind pattern. We found one small group of really big fish that were in a couple of potholes and we just had to go super slow. You’re never going to get two of these big, wary fish in a day, but we got one of them each morning. We only caught three fish in two days, but two were the right ones. We were in second after Friday but got our second big fish at 7:05 a.m. Saturday.”

Contact AMI Outfitters locally to book Peterson and many other excellent local guides.

Sponsors were pivotal to this event and the fishing community stepped up to support Tampa Bay Waterkeeper’s mission.

Organizations like Tampa Bay Waterkeeper are on the front line of the defense of our coastal environment and deserve the support of anglers and all those who appreciate the threatened coastal environment. As last year’s guest speaker, Bill Horn, mentioned in his closing statement, “If we don’t do this, we might be the last generation of anglers to have this opportunity.”

Please support these men, women and companies that step up to protect our local waters:

Antonio Castellvi and family

Northeast Marine

Bonefish Tarpon Trust

Ocean Conservancy

MRIC Spatial

Skinny Water Culture

Captains for Clean Water

Costa Del Mar

Carbon Marine

Taylor Freezer

Terracon

Varner Wakefield Equity Partners

East Cape Skiffs

Cayo Boatworks

Borrell Electric

Hells Bay Boatworks

Beavertail Skiff

Floyd Skiff

Chittum Skiffs

Tune up for the redfly

Reel Time: Tune up for the Redfly

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

The Redfly, a premier Tampa Bay area tournament targeting redfish on fly tackle, is just around the corner and this is a good time to get ready for the 17th running of this popular event.

The tournament is the brainchild of Capt. Jon Bull, of St. Petersburg and provides a good opportunity for fishing enthusiasts to test their skills against some of the Tampa Bay area’s best anglers and have a shot at a bevy of great prizes.

What originally started as a small tournament based out of Cockroach Bay in 2008 has turned into the largest, longest-running fly-fishing tournament for redfish in the country. The 16th Annual Redfly was a huge success. The tournament topped past events with a record 84 anglers. Fishing was tough, and while that tournament proved hard for anglers, the event raised $2,260 for Tampa Bay Waterkeeper.

This year’s event takes place on Saturday, Jan. 14. The tournament starts with a mandatory check-in and captain’s meeting at 5:30 a.m. at the Salty Shamrock Irish Pub, 6816 U.S. Hwy. 41 in Apollo Beach. Each team or solo angler is required to bring their measuring device to the meeting to be approved by tournament officials.

The catch-photo-release tournament is open to two-person teams and solo anglers. Each angler or team must provide at least one digital camera with a clear memory card to participate. Pictures taken with a cellphone also are allowed. Anglers can use fly fishing gear, but no bait scents, live, dead, cut or frozen bait, chumming or tipping is allowed. Participants also cannot fish in another boat’s chum line or in the area where another boat is chumming.

Anglers can wade or fish from a boat, canoe, kayak, paddleboard, pier, dock, bridge or shoreline as long as they remain in the tournament boundaries and no more than 50 yards from their partner or vessel. Boundaries for the tournament stretch from Fred Howard Park in the north to Gasparilla Pass in the south. Participating anglers can launch from any public ramp and must fish between the boundaries. All anglers must have a valid Florida saltwater fishing license and adhere to all state fishing regulations. Anyone fishing from a boat must have all required U.S. Coast Guard safety gear on board during the tournament.

Anglers are asked to show courtesy to other tournament and recreational anglers while fishing. All participants will be operating on the honor system during the tournament regarding use of fly-fishing gear and adhering to tournament rules. If you cheat in a fishing tournament, you are just pathetic and sad.

Fishing begins at 7 a.m. with weigh-in taking place from 3-4 p.m. back at the Salty Shamrock. Any angler who is late to the weigh-in will be disqualified. Pictures of the day’s catch, including an approved measuring device, whole fish and tournament marker, will be presented to the judges during the weigh-in.

The angler with the largest two redfish total to the nearest quarter inch will win a 100% payback with the first runner-up earning a 60% payback, second runner-up earns a 30% payback and 10% goes to the third runner-up. The cost to participate is $50 per two-person team or $25 for solo anglers. Registration fees will be collected at the captain’s meeting and must be made in cash.

After the weigh-in there will be a prize raffle at the Salty Shamrock. Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or five for $20 and can be purchased onsite with cash or by using Zelle, CashApp at $shadowcastflyfishing, or Venmo at @shadowcastflyfishing.

All the proceeds from the event benefit Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. For more information, contact Capt. Jon Bull at 863-860-7250 or jbull1229@gmail.com.

Reel Time: The Waterman

Reel Time: The Waterman

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

The second annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament was held last weekend. The two-day, fly-only redfish tournament and snook Calcutta had 114 two-member teams and three single-angler teams.

The fishing boundaries were wide, including the west coast of Florida from Crystal River to the southernmost tip of Sanibel Island. The photo submission format and the IAnglertournament App made it possible for fishermen in this entire range to participate. The tournament culminated in an awards banquet and prize-rich raffle at the Bradenton Yacht Club on Sunday evening that was made possible by a large number of generous sponsors. All proceeds from the Fly Fishing Tournament benefited Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the protection, preservation and improvement of the Tampa Bay watershed.

Two-angler teams received two, long-sleeved microfiber tournament shirts, two Tampa Bay Waterkeeper hats, dinner for two anglers at the awards ceremony and one raffle ticket for each angler. Target species were redfish and snook. Scoring was done by the highest combination of the two longest redfish caught between Day 1 and Day 2. If a tie had occurred in any of the three top places, it would have been decided by a casting competition based on fly casting distance and accuracy.

Sponsors were pivotal to this event and the fishing community stepped up to support TBWK’s mission. Some of these included a $5,000 donation from Tampa-based primary care physician Antonio Castellvi MD and his wife, Christine, a Helios 3D Fly Rod 8wt. four-piece rod donated by Orvis, a Pro Dry jacket and pants donated by Simms Fishing Products, fishing trips by Capt. Derek Rust, Rusty Fly Charters, Capt. Greg Peterson, Head Shot Charters, Capt. Dustin Pack, Fly Tide Charters, Capt. Brian Jill, Lost Coast Anglers and Capt. Bucky Goldman.

Others included Two License Plate Fish Art pieces compliments of Cody’s Fish, fly lines by Cortland Line Company, gift cards from the Compound Board Shop, Sarasota’s go-to fly shop, a $250 gift card from Tampa Fishing Outfitters, a Tailing Redfish original acrylic on watercolor paper by internationally-recognized Florida Keys artist Tim Borski and an NRX + T2s 11wt. fly rod courtesy of G. Loomis. See the full list of sponsors at Tampa Bay Waterkeeper’s website.

Participants were greeted upon entering the yacht club with fresh oysters from Lost Coast Oyster Company, which aims to revitalize the lost industry along Florida’s Gulf Coast and become a leader in sustainable aquaculture practices.

Of the 117 teams that competed (only three of which were single-angler teams), some large redfish were landed during a close two-day event. In the end, the winners were Sean Kersting and Trip Saunders with two fish totaling 67.25 inches. My fishing partner, Benny Parrish, and I came in second with 64.75 inches. The team of Mike Rogel and Jeff Harrell won third place.

Anglers were pleased with the numbers of redfish that were spotted and landed but concerned with the condition of the bay. That sentiment was shared by tournament organizer and TBWK board member Adam Fernandez in his introduction at the evening’s awards ceremony and raffle. Other speakers included Maya Burke from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Justin Bloom, founder of Suncoast Waterkeeper. Kudos to all the sponsors, anglers and TBWK board members that made this event such a big success.

Environmental groups sue over deep well injection plan

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

PALMETTO – Five environmental organizations notified Manatee County on Sept. 30 that they intend to sue the county over its plan to inject contaminated water from Piney Point into an underground well.

The groups previously sued Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Secretary Shawn Hamilton, Piney Point owner HRK Holdings LLC and the Manatee County Port Authority in June over the dumping of 215 million gallons of contaminated water into Tampa Bay in March and April from a storage pond on a compromised phosphogypsum stack at the closed fertilizer plant. FDEP approved the discharge to avoid the stack’s collapse and potential for flooding area homes and businesses.

The contaminated water spread throughout Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay, transporting nitrogen and phosphorus that spurred a red tide bloom in April that caused fish kills and respiratory irritation, according to the plaintiffs. Red tide remains in medium concentrations in Manatee County waters, as well as Sarasota County to the south and Pinellas County to the north, according to the latest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report.

FDEP sued HRK on Aug. 5 asking the 12th Judicial Circuit Court for injunctive relief to prevent any more discharges of wastewater from Piney Point, claiming that HRK failed to safely operate the gyp stacks and protect surface and groundwater.

The state agency then issued a draft permit on Sept. 1 for Manatee County to build and test an underground injection well and a monitor well at 3105 Buckeye Road up to 3,300 feet deep to hold the wastewater. The monitor well to test drinking water would be up to 950 feet deep; the permit states that drinking water in the Floridan aquifer at the site is located at about 900 feet.

Injection well concerns

In its forthcoming case, plaintiffs say they oppose the county’s plan to inject the 271 million gallons of wastewater remaining in the gypsum stack pond into a deep well, claiming that “Piney Point’s radioactive waste would be injected underground into the fragile, porous karst geology that holds the groundwater supplies millions of Floridians depend on for drinking water.”

The Center for Biological Diversity, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Suncoast Waterkeeper, ManaSota-88 and our Children’s Earth Foundation explained the reasons for their lawsuit in a press release.

“This risky, shortsighted plan would be a dangerous experiment and set a troubling precedent for how we handle failing phosphogypsum stacks,” said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“The phosphate industry and FDEP continue to fail to ensure safe disposal of the industry’s polluted waste,” said Justin Bloom, Suncoast Waterkeeper founder and board member.

“There are many problems associated with deep well injection; wells are subject to failure and there are too many unknown hazards with injecting phosphogypsum wastewater,” said Glenn Compton, chairman of ManaSota-88.

“Florida’s officials are gambling with our water quality and our children’s futures,” said Annie Beaman, co-executive director of the Our Children’s Earth Foundation.

“There are too many unknowns for this to be our way forward,” said Megan Eakins, board chair of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. “We need more clarity about injection well risks, the composition of the waste stream, and alternatives to be sure that this is the best way to protect our vulnerable environment and communities from this toxic, radioactive waste.”

“It is both unlawful and unwise for Manatee County to inject Piney Point’s hazardous waste into the ground simply for the sake of expediency,” said Daniel Snyder, an attorney with the Law Offices of Charles M. Tebbutt, P.C., who is representing the groups. “For too long, Florida regulators have stood by while the situation at Piney Point deteriorated. Now, instead of directly cleaning up this environmental disaster and abating the endangerment it poses, regulators decide to sweep the problem under the geologic rug, putting Florida’s groundwater at risk of significant contamination.”

Public comments sought

A public meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 4-7 p.m. at the Manatee County Central Library Auditorium, 1301 Barcarrota Blvd., Bradenton, to allow an opportunity for citizens to provide input on the draft permit for the well and ask questions and obtain information about the draft permit and permitting process.

Anyone unable to attend the meeting in person who wishes to provide public comments in writing can mail them to: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Aquifer Protection Program, 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 3530, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400.

Related coverage

Piney Point ‘closure’ not the last word

 

No to deep well injection at Piney Point

 

Piney Point deep water injection well draft permit issued

 

Piney Point under new management

 

Rainfall could prompt second discharge at Piney Point

 

Florida DEP sues Piney Point owner

 

Conservation groups sue over Piney Point discharge

 

Piney Point-algae link explored

 

Piney Point spill leads to lawsuit

 

Piney Point pollution spreading, affecting dolphins

 

Piney Point wastewater spreading

Conservation groups sue over Piney Point discharge

Conservation groups sue over Piney Point discharge

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

PORT MANATEE – The dumping of 215 million gallons of wastewater into Tampa Bay this spring from a phosphogypsum stack at the closed Piney Point phosphate fertilizer plant has prompted five conservation groups to file a lawsuit today.

The suit, which claims the release endangers the public, marine ecosystems and protected species, names as defendants Gov. Ron DeSantis, Shawn Hamilton, acting secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Piney Point owner HRK Holdings LLC and the Manatee County Port Authority.

The wastewater was released from the compromised stack, which is topped by a pond containing hundreds of millions of gallons of process wastewater, stormwater and tons of dredged spoil from Port Manatee, to take pressure off the stack and avert a worse spill. Surrounding areas were evacuated for fear of flooding prior to the release in late March and early April.

“Piney Point was and still is a ticking timebomb,” said Justin Bloom, Sarasota-based Suncoast Waterkeeper founder and board member, in a press release. “Rather than closing it when they had the chance, FDEP allowed the site to become even more dangerous, knowing full well the risk of collapse and catastrophic contamination. Now Manatee County is seeking to inject the hundreds of millions of gallons of remaining hazardous wastewater into our groundwater. We’re not confident in our regulators’ ability to manage this mess and this legal action is necessary to protect our communities and waterways from further harm.”

According to the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Florida, Piney Point is an ongoing threat to public health and the environment for several reasons, most pressing, the wastewater discharge into Tampa Bay, which is now experiencing harmful algae blooms and fish kills. Other threats include failure of the gyp stacks and the wastewater pond liners, impacts on groundwater quality and effects from the planned deep-well injection of the wastewater.

“Recent events at the abandoned Piney Point phosphate plant clearly demonstrate that not enough is being done to safeguard the public or the environment from the devastating impacts that the phosphate industry is having on Florida,” said Glenn Compton, chairman of ManaSota-88 Inc., in a press release. “Piney Point represents the true legacy the phosphate industry will leave behind. There is no economically feasible or environmentally sound way to close an abandoned gyp stack. This legacy includes the perpetual spending of taxpayer monies and risks to the public’s health and the environment.”

DEP turned Piney Point into a disposal site for dredge material after the owner went bankrupt and abandoned the property, according to the suit, which claims that while the department owned and operated Piney Point from 2001-04, it oversaw the installation of inadequate liners and approved the use of the site for dredged material storage despite knowing the gyp stacks were at risk of failure due to foundation settling and other problems.

Florida regulators ignored the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ advice to reject the dredge storage proposal, the suit claims.

“Lawsuits like this shouldn’t be necessary, especially in Florida where so much of the state’s economy and residents’ quality of life are dependent on healthy water quality,” said Annie Beaman, co-executive director of Our Children’s Earth Foundation, in a press release. “State and local regulators have failed the public for decades and continue to mismanage the waste generated by the phosphate industry. We resort to federal court oversight when decisions by the political branches of government endanger the public. Enforcing basic environmental standards with citizen suits is the best option we have to ensure a healthier future for Tampa Bay, its communities and its wildlife.”

The wastewater dumped into Tampa Bay continues to spread throughout the estuary and into Sarasota Bay, transporting tons of nitrogen and phosphorus that fuels the growth of toxic algae blooms that kill seagrasses and other marine life, according to the conservation groups. Fish kills caused by red tide have been reported in recent weeks in Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Phosphogypsum contained in stacks is radioactive and can contain uranium, thorium and radium, which decay into carcinogenic radon, according to the conservation groups, which claim that 1 billion tons of radioactive phosphogypsum is stored in 25 stacks, including at Piney Point.

Related coverage

 

Piney Point-algae link explored

 

Mats of algae clog marina, affect business

 

Blue-green algae bloom clogging bays, ICW

 

Piney Point pollution spreading, affecting dolphins

 

Piney Point wastewater spreading

Reel Time: My witness statement

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

I’ve been a resident of the Suncoast for 40 years. For 35 years of those years, I ran a contracting business and have seen firsthand the effects of harmful algae blooms on the environment and the economy. I have never been more concerned than I am today and fear we may be near a point of no return.

I believe that there is a real possibility that our coastal waters may be in the process of converting from a seagrass-based system with clean, vibrant waters to an algae-based system that supports very little life and creates milky green water.

This is an economic and environmental disaster in the making. We only have to look as far as The Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s east coast as a cautionary tale. Once one of the most vibrant ecosystems on Earth, manatees there are dying of starvation due to a lack of the seagrasses they graze on.

https://youtu.be/1kSCc_tddtc

I am no scientist, but I have been fishing and recreating on Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and Anna Maria Sound since I moved here in 1980, and can honestly say I fear for the future of our waters and the generations of future residents who will inherit the legacy of our inaction. I truly believe that this rises to the level of a “moral obligation.”  I would encourage you to face this challenge. Let’s all work together to see that future generations have some of the same opportunities that we’ve had.

What can you do? Contact your elected officials (local and state) and demand action, write letters, attend commission meetings, join with groups like Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, don’t fertilize during the rainy season, keep yard clippings from our waterways and encourage your neighbors and friends to speak out.

The sad truth is that if we are silent, we will reap the unfortunate rewards. I’m reminded of a quote by the American Cultural Anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

The truth is that if we don’t, nobody will, and our children will inherit a world no one would wish for them. We can do this but only by acting, now, before it’s too late.

Reel Time: Join the Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

The Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament is a two-day, redfish-on-fly tournament with the proceeds directly benefiting Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. Proceeds raised during the event will be used to promote the organization’s mission. Organizers have assembled an amazing raffle lineup with a number of high-end fly products to award at the awards ceremony and dinner.

The Waterman Tournament will raise awareness as well as money to support our fisheries.

The tournament is a two-day, fly-fishing-only, catch-and-release redfish tournament with an optional Snook Calcutta with a 50/50 cash payout. The proceeds from entry fees, 50% of the Snook Calcutta and raffle ticket purchases directly benefit Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. There is no in-person captain’s meeting and the weigh-in will be conducted by photo and email. The tournament is limited to 50 teams or 100 anglers total. There will be prizes, an award ceremony, dinner (sponsored by Hells Bay Boatworks) and the raffle. The schedule is as follows.

Friday, March 12

8 p.m. Mandatory virtual captains meeting via Google Meet. Only one member of each team must attend. Format and rules will be discussed and questions answered. The link to the Google Meet will be provided by email.

Saturday, March 13 – Tournament day #1

7 a.m. Lines in!

4 p.m. Lines out!

4:15 p.m. Deadline to email weigh-in photos

Sunday, March 14 – Tournament day #2

8 a.m. Lines in!

3 p.m. Lines out!

3:15 p.m. Deadline to email weigh-in photos

6 p.m. Awards ceremony, dinner and raffle at the Bradenton Yacht Club, 4307 13th St. W., Palmetto, Florida.

6:30 p.m. Deadline to check-in at the awards ceremony to be eligible for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place.

NOTE: Daylight Savings Time takes effect at 2 a.m. on March 14. The later “lines in” time is intended to exclude dock light fishing. The earlier “lines out” time is intended to accommodate travel time to the awards ceremony. Anglers must check in by 6:30 p.m. to be eligible for awards.

Two-angler team – $250 (per team)
Includes two, long-sleeve microfiber tournament shirts, two Tampa Bay Waterkeeper hats, dinner for two anglers at the awards ceremony, and one raffle ticket for each angler.

Solo-angler team – $125
Includes one long-sleeve microfiber tournament shirt, one Tampa Bay Waterkeeper hat, dinner for one angler at the awards ceremony, one raffle ticket.

Raffle tickets

  • Additional raffle tickets may be purchased at the awards ceremony by cash or card.
  • Raffle tickets may only be purchased by tournament anglers.
  • Raffle tickets will be $20 each or six tickets for $100.

Note: Tournament fees and raffle ticket purchases are direct contributions to Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The tournament covers Florida’s west coast from the southern tip of Sanibel Island to the southern edge of the Crystal River Power Plant main channel. Anglers may launch at any ramp but must fish within the stated boundaries.

Redfish photos (with measuring tape, tournament placard, team number and daily code word visible) and Calcutta Snook photos (with tournament placard, team number and daily code word visible) must be sent by email to thewaterman@tampawaterkeeper.org within 15 minutes of lines out on each tournament day (4:15 p.m. on Day 1 and 3:15 p.m. on Day 2).

The weigh-in email should have a subject line as follows:

“Waterman weigh-in – team name and team number – Day 1.”

Emails received after 4:15 p.m. on Day 1 will be disqualified.

Emails received after 3:15 p.m. on Day 2 will be disqualified.

Each team will receive a response email indicating that their weigh-in was received on time, with the length of each fish weighed in as determined by tournament officials.

Please do not send more than two redfish photos and one snook photo per day.

Anglers are required to have their weigh-in photos available for inspection at the awards ceremony/dinner, if necessary.

After sending the weigh-in email, we ask that each team post their weigh-in photos and individual photos of the angler holding the fish on their social media accounts with hashtags #tampabaywaterkeeper and #thewaterman prior to the awards banquet.

I’m looking forward to participating in this tournament because the money will be used to help protect our fisheries in the Tampa Bay region. I hope I’ll see you there. For more information visit the Tampa Bay Waterkeepers website and be a part of the solution!