There are 1.8 million visitors annually during the tourist season of November through April. Lee County beaches extend 50 miles, with over 100 coastal islands. The County is bisected by the Caloosahatchee River, which is part of the Federal Intra-Coastal Waterway. The majority of inland waterways are shallow seagrass bays. The majority of these vessels are outfitted for fishing.
Lee County is home to one of the largest commercial shrimping fleets in the United States.
Based on San Carlos Island, this fleet numbers almost 200 boats. In addition to shrimping, there is a large number of commercial fishermen that ply the waters for crabs and finfish.