Karen Bell: A.P. Bell Fish Co. & Star Fish Co. (Cortez, FL)

The Southern Fork

The day dawns humid and the waters of Sarasota Bay seem like a glassy mirror reflecting a pale blue sky. There are the sounds of birds as well as the gentle lapping of water up against a boat, sure, but more often than not, those sounds are drowned out by the sounds of fishermen calling out to each other to set the lines as they dock, or the beeping of a refrigerated truck backing up to the loading dock, ready to receive a truckload of fish. This is just a day in the life for Karen Bell of A.P. Bell Fish Co, a seafood wholesaler that sits on the water of the aforementioned bay in the small fishing village of Cortez, FL. Since 1940, the Bell family has worked the docks, sorting, storing, and selling grouper and mullet, along with a variety of other seafood. In 1986, after completing college, Karen began working at the company and learning this male-dominated business alongside her father. Now 35 years in, she’s a strong advocate and ambassador of the fiercely proud and independent Cortez community, including as a founding member of FISH, the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage, where she acted as the lead negotiator on the purchase of the 100-acre FISH Preserve east of the village. She’s also the brains behind Star Fish Co., the dockside restaurant that’s part of the A.P. Bell Complex, serving fresh catch, sea breezes, and some of the best hushpuppies I’ve ever had.