This gallery is a collection of photos taken in Cortez Village, a fishing community in west-Bradenton. The photos were taken between October 2013 and October 2014.
Click on an image below to view it full-size and use the arrows to flip through the gallery.
Tony Keehbauch sorts his catch of mullet Dec. 12 at A.P. Bell Fish Co., 4539 124th St., Cortez. He checks each fish for red-female- or white-male- roe.
Female mullet, prized for their red roe, are sorted at the fish house, where the going price is $2.20 per pound. Male mullet are worth only 10 cents a pound.
Employees from Cortez Bait and Seafood Nov. 9 crack the tough shells of stone crab claws before they are sold to hungry patrons at the Stone Crab Festival.
Mark Coarsey, president of the Fishing for Freedom Manatee chapter, stands in front of a fishing net exhibition Nov. 9 at the Stone Crab Festival in Cortez.
Stone crab claws are ready to be sold Nov. 9 at the Stone Crab Festival in Cortez.
Tim Johnson, Lee Coarsey, Alice Lovett, Marty Lee and Travis Johnson, members of Fishing for Freedom’s Manatee chapter, an organization representing commercial fishers, Nov. 9 sell Cortez hot dogs, which are smoked mullet in a hot dog bun, at the Stone Crab Festival.
Crab traps are stacked on pallets.
Crab traps are stacked by the dock before they are baited and dropped into the water.
Crab traps are stacked between the Star Fish Co. and A. P. Bell Fish Co. before the start of stone crab season.
Whole-fried sheepshead sits on top hundreds of crayfish, waiting to be served to hungry patrons at the Cortez Commerical Fishing Festival Feb. 15.
Food vendors stay busy at the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival Feb. 15. Vendors sold smoked mullet, crab cakes, crayfish, oysters, mussels, shrimp and more.
Flags resembling guyotaku prints hung around the edges of the Cortez Fishing Festival Feb. 15.
Food vendors stay busy at the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival Feb. 15. Vendors sold smoked mullet, crab cakes, crayfish, oysters, mussels, shrimp and more.
Crayfish cooks in a large pan, alongside generous helping of other seafood inspired dishes in the historic fishing village during the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival Feb. 15.
Workers wraps crap traps on a pallet at A.P. Bell Fish Co.
Boats dock at A.P. Bell Fish Co. in Cortez.
