Cortez Historic Fishing Village

The village of Cortez, is the oldest surviving fishing village in Florida. It dates from at least 1880 when it was settled by a number of people from North Carolina. As you might imagine for such an historically rich area, there are strong preservationist organizations. Primary among these is the Cortez Village Historical Society . This preservationist attitude extends to the land, wildlife, water, and fish since it is upon those that the historical economy of the region depends, and still does, although to a lesser extent than at one time. F.I.S.H.  (Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage) is a non-profit that has as its mission “preserving the character and heritage of Florida’s traditional waterfront communities within the natural environment that has nurtured people in fishing communities for thousands of years.”