Opposition is building to a proposed cruise port terminal south of the Sunshine Skyway. Around 12,000 people have signed a petition against the idea, saying it would ruin the area's fragile ecosystem.
SSA Marine says the terminal at Terra Ceia is needed because larger cruise ships can't go under the bridge to Port Tampa Bay or Seaport Manatee.
But that has rattled fishers and environmental advocates, who say the area around Paradise Island and Rattlesnake Key is ecologically sensitive.
Corey McKeever, who operates a boat repair business in Bradenton, started the petition. He says a channel would have to be dredged at least 50 feet deep, killing sea grasses.
"There's not much seagrass left in Tampa Bay. That is one of the only places it's still left. And they want to build a cruise port that needs a minimum of 50, 60 feet of water, dredge up a preserve and build a giant cruise port there," he said. "And you can't tell me that's not going to release toxins from when the oil was spilled in the bay in the '70s, the '90s. And what about Piney Point? Those toxins aren't going to be removed from the ground when they start digging and dredging, and then destroy the whole environment."
McKeever said the terminal would significantly harm his business and disrupt fish nurseries far into the bay.
"I'm going to either go out of business because of them or I'm going to die trying," he said. "That's it, plain and simple. They will put me out of business. There will be no water for us to enjoy. People will sell their boats because they'll just go on a cruise because the water is black. There'll be no fishing."
McKeever believes it will destroy at least 50% of his business the day they start dredging.
"So all the fishermen that I work on, all their boat — and I do all the repairs on all these people's boats — they're not going to have business because there's no fish," McKeever said.
SSA estimates the construction phase of the project would generate more than 31,000 jobs statewide and regionally, both directly and indirectly, and boost labor earnings by about $1.6 billion. Cruise operations, the company said, would also support jobs in hospitality, transportation, logistics and maritime services.
A rally in opposition to the plan will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 14 at Seabreeze Park, 55 Horseshoe Loop in Terra Ceia.
