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GORE See SHRIMP BOATS
Shrimp boats From page 1
Lexi Joe floating after cranes put her back in the water (next to the boat with yellow stern).
Rigging has gotten the first two boats out of the water. The first boat’s recovery was funded by Texas businessman Luis Garcia who is hoping to get state approval to remove debris on the island by barges. Beyel said he is awaiting possible state and federal funding for more equipment. He is expecting the state to put out a request for proposals for a contract to rescue all the boats. The Florida Division of Emergency Management didn’t respond to questions before the time of publication though a contract is believed to be in the works. Beyel, who said he worked on saving shrimp boats after Hurricane Katrina, said the weight of the shrimp boats laying on their side has made the recovery efforts difficult.
“You have 230-ton steel shrimp boats full of fuel, wooden ones covered in fiberglass. Some of them are completely destroyed, ” he said. He estimates about 85% of the 45 boats can be saved. It’s the shrimpers that helped put Fort Myers Beach on the map and it is the photos of shrimp boats washed up on land on top of each other that may be some of the most enduring images of Hurricane Ian. Erickson said some of the out-of-work fishermen are sleeping in tents. “It’s a tough situation on everybody in this industry, ” Erickson said. “These people still need to eat. …People are wondering where their next meal is coming from. ” An estimated 40 or more shrimp boats were damaged by Hurricane Ian and taken out of commission after being swept up out of the water. Former Fort Myers Beach mayor Tracey Gore, who operates Gore Seafood Inc. with her husband Henry, has been closely involved in working with contractors, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and state government authorities on rescuing the boats. The Gore Seafood Inc. boat Lexi Joe was the second
