With the calendar creeping toward mid-October, the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage was hurrying to put the finishing touches on grant-funded improvement projects and trail markers within the nonprofit’s 95-acre preserve before a key grant report comes due.
FISH member Allen Garner, during an Oct. 6 board meeting, said a few volunteer workdays stood between the organization and the completion of its latest round of improvements at the preserve, a buffer on the east side of the fishing village.
The final tasks include installing three large “You Are Here” signs with maps, trail routes and QR codes that link visitors to online educational information.
In 2024, the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation of Sarasota awarded FISH a $165,000 grant to enhance public access.
FISH treasurer Jane von Hahmann urged Garner to complete the remaining preserve work by mid-October so she could meet the grant’s reporting deadline of Oct. 16.
The grant agreement requires interim and final reports to document how funds are used, project progress and compliance with grant terms.
The board also discussed exotic tree species management in the preserve. Representatives from the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program had suggested creating a maintenance plan at a $5,000-$15,000 cost, but board members opted instead to direct funds toward fieldwork.
“We know what needs to be done — you take out the bad stuff,” Garner said, referring to the removal of small areas of Brazilian pepper and other invasives near the preserve’s north boundary.
In other business, board members heard a presentation from Megan Ehlers of Sarasota High School about the possible donation of its 41-foot wooden “floating classroom” vessel, Carefree Learner, built by students in 1978 and used for decades for marine-science instruction.
The boat, which carries up to 25 passengers, is being retired as the school prepares to receive a new vessel.
The FISH board expressed interest but needed to evaluate mooring options, bridge clearances and maintenance costs.
About FISH
FISH, a nonprofit run by a 12-member board of directors, manages several properties in Cortez, including the 95-acre preserve, a boat shop, Fishermen’s Hall and the old Cortez fire station.
The nonprofit, formed in 1991 and is dedicated to the promotion, education and preservation of Cortez and its commercial fishing culture.
The group also oversees the annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival, celebrating the village’s fishing heritage.