Shrimpers look to Lee County project to help restore industry after multiple hurricanes

Shrimping is in Anna Erickson's blood. Her family has run a business on our Gulf Coast for 75 years. "We're a special breed of people," she said. "We're sea people." It has taken a special breed to overcome Hurricane Ian. Almost four years ago, towering storm surge washed massive shrimp boats up on dry land. It was unimaginable. Complete Coverage: Gulf Coast Hurricane Week "Every piece of equipment that we had here got destroyed to one degree or another," said Anna's father, Grant Erickson. He owns the business, which is known as Erickson & Jensen Seafood. After Ian, the state of Florida helped lift boats back into the water, spending nearly $10 million and six months to get it done. But that hasn't meant smooth waters since then. Hurricane Milton also impacted the industry in 2024. The other major shrimping business in the area never recovered after Ian. "We're the only survivor. The others are gone," Grant Erickson said. "It was devastating. Still is." Erickson & Jensen Seafood lost several boats to the storm, but have worked to rebuild and make do with what's left. Before Ian, they would sell about a million dollars' worth of shrimp a month. Four years later, Grant Erickson said they still aren't anywhere close to that figure. "I would say we're probably around half of that," he said. The biggest challenge for the industry now is the loss of dockage. More than half of what was there before Ian is gone. The shrimping business that was next to Erickson's is now an empty lot. "You have got to have dock space to service these boats," Grant Erickson said. "A lot of them, they want to come in here. We tell them we can't. There's no place for you to tie up." Lee County owns the property next door and had leased it to the business that was there. Now, the county has plans for a new $12-15 million project. Renderings show it would be dual use: access for shrimp boats, but also for the county's disaster response. The state has already granted $7.5 million for the project, and the county is working to secure millions more in federal funds. "We're relying on the county to build back," Grant Erickson said. "If we had that, we would have more boats in here. We would have more shrimp.” The project is planned for two phases. Phase one is expected to be finished by the summer of 2028. "I'm definitely hoping for the best. I'm seeing phases, and it looks good," Anna Erickson said. "But is it going to function? Is it possible? Are the plans going to work? We don't know yet." In the meantime, the Ericksons are working to make sure one of the oldest industries in the area stays in the area. Since Ian, they've added a retail market on-site. Shrimping has been part of the fabric of the Fort Myers Beach community for decades. The Erickson family is determined that it's also part of its future. "We want (people) to come see what we do. Buy a few pounds of shrimp. Take it home and eat it. See how good it really is," Grant Erickson said. "Because it is the best shrimp in the world." DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.