Fort Myers shrimping site faces long road to redevelopment after Ian

FT. MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WINK) — An empty lot on San Carlos Island that once housed a busy shrimping operation sits destroyed more than two years after Hurricane Ian, raising questions about the future of the waterfront property and the local shrimping industry.

The site, formerly home to Trico Market, was left completely destroyed by the hurricane. The lease has since been terminated, leaving the property's future uncertain.

Dana Gala, former Trico Market manager and current Big Daddy Shrimp Market manager, said there's a misconception about what happened to the business.

"Trico was operated under a partnership between my family and another family," Gala said. "Then Hurricane Ian came and just really decimated everything. So everybody kind of just threw their hands up."

The situation became more complicated when the county stepped in. Gala explained that the lease agreement stated the Trico company would handle repairs, but the county prevented anyone from entering the building.

"Trico's building was actually deemed uninhabitable by the county," Gala said. "So even if we were in charge, or the Hendersons, wanted to rebuild, I don't think that the county would have allowed them to."

County Commissioner David Mulicka offered a different perspective on the situation.

"The existing tenant, in my opinion, has acted in bad faith since Hurricane Ian," Mulicka said. "That site was literally left untouched since the hurricane, every piece of rotting Park is shrimp and the trash debris was left as it looked like every site looked the day after the hurricane."

Today, the property consists of nothing but overgrown grass, an empty lot and a chain-link fence blocking water access. Mulicka said the former tenant left vessels in the county's way and failed to clean up the site.

The county has outlined three planned uses for the property: a working waterfront for the commercial fishing industry, emergency response operations and standard county operations. A $7.5 million grant has been secured to boost commercial fishing in the area.

"I'm sure some of our own money, to make that an outstanding blue and gray sky facility to restore the shrimping industry opportunity," Mulicka said.

Gala views the redevelopment as a significant opportunity for the local industry.

"We really hope that the commissioner will stand his ground where the grant was given to help rebuild the shrimping industry," Gala said. "It wasn't for Trico. It's for all of Fort Myers shrimping industry."

Limited operations can begin once permits are secured. Full redevelopment and reopening could take more than two years after approvals and new leases are in place.