Sarasota County commissioners have approved five efforts aimed at keeping Midnight Pass open while making it safer and more consistent for the people who use it. The plan covers continued data collection and modeling, new signage and channel markers, an assessment of channel dredging, initiating state and federal permitting to maintain the inlet’s current dimensions, and ongoing engagement with stakeholders.
County staff are already conducting weekly surveys that track the pass’s depth and position, and the next phase builds on that work with more data, markers, advisory signs, and a closer look at future dredging. Local voices are weighing in. Charter captain Matt Fueyo says the open pass has brought more shells and more activity to the region, and it’s been good for his tourist-based company. Scott Lewis, founder of Restore Midnight Pass Now, said he was happy to see forward movement on restoration.
Midnight Pass matters to boaters, charter businesses, tourism, and the overall health of the bay, so the county’s decisions here ripple well beyond the inlet itself. Planning and survey work is already underway for future projects. If you spend time on the water around Siesta Key and Casey Key, what changes would you most like to see at the pass? Let us know.
