The most recent Red Tide event to hit Southwest Florida has been devastating for the beaches and the people who make their living off of them.
In past years, the Fourth of July Holiday meant an influx of revenue. The miles of shoreline have been clogged with dead fish and other wildlife.
Fox 4 spoke with those who've been affected the most by Red Tide. One of those people is Chris O'Neill, a boat captain who's spent more than a decade working in the area.
He told Four in Your Corner that he and other captains in the area have been losing business. "It's catastrophic. We're feeling a pinch like no other“, he said.
O'Neill anticipated being booked with boat rentals for the holiday. Instead, he's been forced to cancel his rides because of the amount of dead fish floating in the water. O'Neil has been documenting the dead wildlife that have shown up. He's seen manatees, turtles, and snook popping up everywhere he's been. The smell has forced him to wear a mask when he gets near the water.
