Add FISH to the list.
At a meeting Aug. 2, the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage board members unanimously voted to become the fifth complainant in a federal lawsuit challenging the Florida Department of Transportation’s decision to replace the 17-foot-clearance Cortez drawbridge with a 65-foot-clearance fixed-span structure in 2026-27.
The nonprofit, dedicated to preserving the commercial fishing legacy of Cortez, has until Aug. 15 to join the suit based on a timeline laid out in court documents.
Barring any legal hurdles, the organization will join former Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash, former County Commissioner and current FISH treasurer Jane von Hahmann, who resides in Cortez, and Linda Molto and Joe Kane, also Cortez residents, in their fight to prevent the high bridge from being built.
The 65-foot-clearance structure would require the construction of inland retaining walls — about 20-feet-high at their peak — that would extend into Cortez about 700 feet.
The complainants advocate for the construction of a 35-foot-clearance drawbridge to span the Intracoastal Waterway between Cortez and Bradenton Beach, which they maintain would have a minimal impact on the historic fishing village on the east side of the proposed bridge.
At the Aug. 2 meeting, von Hahmann announced FISH would hold a high bridge informational meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, at Fishermen’s Hall, 4515 124th St. W.
“It’s been so long since people had a conversation about the bridge and, in this village, I don’t even know how to tell you how many people don’t even realize it’s happening,” von Hahmann said.
The anti-megabridge coalition recently established a “Stop the Mega Bridge” GoFundMe page to help offset the costs of court-ordered mediation with the DOT, scheduled for Aug. 25.
In addition to getting the word out, von Hahmann said she hopes the Aug. 12 informational meeting will drive people to donate to the cause.
“Like one of my fellow board members said, (the high bridge) will destroy this village,” she said.
To donate, visit https://gofund.me/8a79c74f.
For more on FISH, call 941-794-0043 or email jvonhahm@verizon.net.