Politics Tuesday: A Red Tide State of Emergency

Posted by Jack Sterne, jack@oceanchampions.org

If you were wondering why we've been pushing red tide legislation on Capitol Hill, check out this story about Nassau County, Florida declaring a state of emergency due to a severe outbreak of red tide along the northeast Florida coast.

It got so bad that the Today Show even talked about the outbreak as an extreme weather event on October 1. Here's an excerpt from the story:

On Sept. 26, the Nassau County Health Department announced water samples had tested positive for Florida red tide, Karenia brevis, a large grouping of microscopic algae that produces a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish, birds, mammals and other animals.

Local health officials continue to warn residents and visitors that the phenomenon could affect the health of humans. People are advised to "use caution" when swimming or wading at the beach, and to also be cautious about eating fish or other sea creatures caught in the water.

"Stay tuned, and we'll continue to monitor with the health department and the National Weather Service," she said. "We're still encouraging people who have any respiratory problems to avoid prolonged exposure to the beach, and people should stay out of the water and avoid the fish from local waters and kind of use common sense."

Common sense is well and good, but it would be a whole lot better if Congress made a commitment to solving the red tide problem. If you have to stay out of the water and avoid fishing, what's the point of living at or visiting the beach?

Given what an economic engine our beaches and oceans are, it seems like the least Congress could do is appropriate adequate research dollars for this issue.

That's one of the aims of the bipartisan Save Our Shores Act being pushed by Ocean Champions Connie Mack (R-Fl) and Kathy Castor (D-Fl). The act would significantly increase the funding for red tide research, and make sure those research dollars are doled out in a more rational way.

We're hearing that the Science Committee in the House is ready to hold a hearing on the bill, but the Senate is way behind. Sen. Snowe (R-Me.) and Sen. Nelson (D-Fl.) are the drivers in the Senate, so contact them if you'd like to see some action on this issue. Sen. Snowe in particular could use a friendly push.

If wheezing kids and dampened tourism won't do the trick, then what will it take?