Hometown Tour: Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island Hometown Tour Gas prices are down from where they were a year ago but boat captains are taking a hit again this year.

by Chad Petri

Published: Thu, May 28, 2009 - 3:32 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, May 28, 2009 - 5:11 pm CST

Boat captains around the Dauphin Island Marina would like to see more people calling on them for a ride.

“Our fuel sales, our merchandise our ice our other merchandise is down about 20%,” says Marina General Manager Tim Casteix. Fuel prices are down by more than $2compared to their seasonal highs last year, but a slow economy means people are less likely to hit the water. Captain Mike Theirry says his business is off by almost a third from 2008. His boat, The Escape would normally be out on the water today, not tied up in the dock. He says people are looking for shorter trips for entertainment.

“Just different things you know you really wouldn't be able to see if you didn't go in the gulf to start with,” says Captain Theirry. He also says fisherman have to deal with tighter federal laws on the popular red snapper.

“We have a two fish limit and 16 inches that’s one of our bread and butter fish that most folks want to fish for,” says Theirry. With business down from where it was a year ago officials say they have to try different things to lure more customers here. Officials will start the new “Stars and Stripes Fishing Classic on June 1st.

“We're going to run a 34 day event on Dauphin Island and hopefully that will give people a reason to come down to dauphin island maybe charter a boat or stay in a hotel or rent a condo,” says Tim Casteix. The general manager says poor weather this spring has also hurt their turnout.

You can check out Dauphin Island attractions and upcoming events by clicking on the links below:

Historic Fort Gaines
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Dauphin Island Chamber of Commerce
The Town of Dauphin Island
Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo

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