• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Florida's Seafood Industry Takes a Hit From Hurricane Dennis

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 July 2005, 00:00 CDT

Jul. 12--EASTPOINT -- Hurricane Dennis shut down the oyster business in coastal Franklin County, reducing several oyster houses to rubble and heavily damaging others.

"This is going to be devastating for this county," said Lynn Martina, owner of Lynn's Quality Seafood in Eastpoint, "because everything here relies on the seafood industry."

A storm surge estimated at nearly 10 feet wiped out oyster houses along the south side of U.S. Highway 98 and took a toll on the county's two major economic engines -- seafood and tourism. It also destroyed or heavily damaged several restaurants and left hundreds of seafood workers temporarily unemployed.

Martina's oyster house survived the storm, though an office and back dock were destroyed. Workers spent Monday cleaning up, and Martina said she hopes to reopen within a couple of weeks. Until then, she said, her workers will have to fend for themselves.

Michael Carmichael, 42, drives a truck and packs oysters at the business. He said he wasn't sure how he'd put food on the table for his wife and 17-year-old daughter.

"We've always pulled together and made it somehow," he said.

Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, who visited with emergency workers in Apalachicola, said the state will try to help displaced workers find temporary jobs, perhaps removing debris that piled up along the highway.

The state closed the Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting, which is routine after major storms. Some worried Dennis could have done serious harm to oyster beds in the bay.

The affected restaurants included That Place on 98, Sharon's and The Hut, a favorite in Apalachicola since the 1940s.

High water smashed into The Hut and gutted two dining areas. Owner Robert Saker wasn't sure whether he'd be able to rebuild. Workers spent Monday salvaging dishes, silverware and photos that hung on the walls.

"I don't know really how to describe it," Saker said. "It's almost like a death in the family."

St. George Island escaped with mostly minor damage to some homes. But the popular barrier-island getaway was without power and all but deserted at the height of tourist season.

The bridge to the barrier island remained closed Monday to everyone except property owners and essential workers; county officials said it could reopen today or Wednesday. Progress Energy officials hoped to restore electricity by Monday night.

Mark Goldman, owner of Aunt Ebby's ice-cream shop, said he hoped business would return to normal once vacation-rental businesses reopened their properties.

"We're just waiting for the power to come back on," he said. "That's tough when you're in the ice-cream business."

Susan Ficklen, general manager of Collins Vacation Rentals, said workers were assessing damage at its 300 or so properties. Problems included sand in beachfront properties and sea water in swimming pools. She also was hopeful that tourists would return in droves as soon as this weekend.

Said Ficklen: "We'll rebound, of course."

-----

To see more of the Tallahassee Democrat -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.Tallahassee.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, Tallahassee Democrat, Fla.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahassee, Fla.)

More News in this Category