Red Tide Projects
Assessment of the short- and long-term socioeconomic impacts of Florida’s 2017-2019 Red Tide event
About the Project
Principle Investigator: Christa Court
Staff: Angela Lindsey, Ricky Telg, Sandra Anderson, Shelli Rampold, Phillip Stokes, Ashley McLeod-Morin
Funded by: Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System
Leveraging resources and information from complementary efforts underway at the University of Florida (UF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we propose to comprehensively quantify and qualify the short- and long-term socioeconomic impacts of the 2017-2019 Karenia brevis event in Florida and to develop a transferable framework to inform national-scale efforts to quantify the socioeconomic impacts and measure community resiliency to HABs. To accomplish this objective, we will provide:
- Quantitative assessment of the total economic value of the socio-economic impacts resulting from the 2017-19 Florida Red Tide event
- Qualitative assessment of additional socio-economic impacts that are not readily measurable or quantifiable
A transferable framework in the form of practice guides for decision makers and practitioners to inform national-scale efforts focused on quantifying socioeconomic impacts and performing impact assessments for HABs as well as communication and outreach products
These efforts and outcomes will inform ongoing discussions related to mitigation and prevention of harmful algal blooms and their associated impacts amongst academics, federal, state, and local policymakers, industry stakeholders, recreational users, and the general public.
Composite Red Tide Vulnerability Index (CRTVI)
About the Project
Principle Investigator: Christa Court
Staff: Angela Lindsey, Ricky Telg, Sandra Anderson, Phillip Stokes, Ashley McLeod-Morin, Claire Mitchell
Funded by: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Following the completion of the GCOOS red tide project, the researchers teamed up again, with funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, to create a Composite Red Tide Vulnerability Index (CRTVI) to quantify the vulnerability of coastal communities in Southwest Florida to the impacts of red tide events. The CRTVI can increase general awareness of an area’s vulnerability to the impacts of red tide events and can be used as an objective criterion to help decision-makers both identify areas that are more vulnerable to impacts stemming from red tide events and design systems to better prepare for, respond to, and mitigate red tide event impacts in the future. As a composite index, the CRTVI will communicate the global vulnerability of distinct communities as well as provide insights on a community’s vulnerability across the specific domains (tourism, fisheries, economic structure, health, environment). The composite nature of the CRTVI ensures that it will be useful to a wide range of potential audiences including local- and state-level policymakers, tourism development agencies, private industry, environmental agencies, and the general public.
The CRTVI research team has communicated with relevant stakeholder groups throughout the project period, not only to incorporate stakeholder insights and perspectives into the development of the CRTVI but to inform the design of outputs of the project and to ensure that results are communicated in a simple, accessible and creative manner.
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