Historic Cortez Fishing Village continues work despite hurricane damage

CORTEZ, Fla. - The Cortez Fishing Village has weathered a lot, but Hurricanes Helene and Milton put them to the test.

"I’ve seen other storms that hurt us in different ways, but this one hurt literally thousands and thousands of people," said Kent Nixon, a stone crab fisherman who has been part of the Cortez Fishing Village for decades. 

Despite the damage, Nixon and his crew have already been back on the water. He said they're now starting to get their first crabs of the season, and he's expecting they'll get even better in the next two-three weeks. 

READ: Bradenton Beach couple that rescues wildlife in need of help after back-to-back hurricanes

Docks were damaged during Hurricane Helene and are now being replaced. Milton also damaged the roof of the A.P. Bell Fish Company's fish house. Clean-up continues all around the fishing village as crews and boats work on the water. 

"It’s so important for the community as a whole. It’s not just the jobs, but across the board it’s the life board," said Nixon. 

The Star Fish Company reopened their doors on Thursday after employees went to work to reopen, not letting the damage stop them. 

"It’s a breath of fresh air. It feels so good to see all of our regulars," said server Nicole Westrick. 

MORE: Bay Area beaches begin to reopen after Hurricane Milton

Many who work on the boats and in the restaurant and fish house have their own damage, and some have lost everything. Making it that much more important to support those in and around the Cortez Fishing Village. 

"Coming out here to buy the crabs and fresh fish that we catch and what not, I can’t say enough about how many people it affects. Not just directly, but indirectly," said Nixon. 

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