Benny Blanco is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, but his blood runs hot under his skin. In 2015, his life pivoted, becoming a devout conservationist after Florida Bay lost over fifty thousand acres of his favorite fishing grounds. These grass flats were decimated by a significant algae bloom caused by poor water quality and lack of fresh water. Joined at the hip with Captains for Clean Water, Blanco has been hand in hand with fellow guides and anglers alike on the footsteps of Tallahassee demanding change. The decimation over the years hasn’t just been in Florida Bay but throughout Florida (Indian River Lagoon, Mosquito Lagoon, Everglades National Park, Caloosahatchee River, etc..). The main culprit was the lack of freshwater as it travels south through the Everglades. 2022 was a critical year when a passed Bill (2508) was on the desk of Governor DeSantis for a possible veto which was successfully executed. Those waning hours were critical. Captains for Clean Water and Benny’s army were called upon, and the “Rally in Tally” was a power play demanding to be heard, and they were.
Benny has been a sought-after fishing guide for over two decades. But his popular fishing show, “Guiding Flow TV,” tells the conservation story from the poling platform of his skiff. Saving the Everglades is his most important work, and his voice has become one of the most powerful and respected in demanding the Florida Legislature clean up its act!
