Taylor County will seek up to $300,000 for feasibility study of commercial seafood offloading in Steinhatchee

Taylor County commissioners on Aug. 19 approved submitting a grant application for a planning and feasibility study to evaluate a commercial seafood boat launch, offloading facility and co‑op distribution options in the Steinhatchee area.

County staff said the grant program allows applications for up to $300,000 to cover feasibility and planning work; the study would identify potential sites, analyze operational needs (offloading, ice, cold storage, fuel and distribution), and evaluate governance options such as a cooperative operator or private‑public partnership. Staff presented three candidate properties for study and recommended seeking the award to develop a clear plan that could be used to pursue construction funding later.

Local fishermen and community members spoke in favor of the proposal. Jim Gerber of Steinhatchee told the board the area historically supported a significant commercial fishing industry and that existing offloading capacity is increasingly constrained by recreational development. "We need a designated space to operate out," Gerber said, adding that local fishermen often see credit go to neighboring Dixie County because several offload points are located across the river from Taylor County.

Paul Reed and Sean Rucker, both Steinhatchee residents and commercial fishermen, told the board the project could create jobs and preserve working waterfronts. County staff noted multiple potential funding sources for later stages, including state waterfront and fisheries programs, federal agencies and restoration funds. The board approved submitting the grant application and asked staff to continue stakeholder outreach as part of the feasibility process.