Algal blooms in Florida waters

Read UF public perception survey shows high level of concern over algal blooms in Florida waters – “Recently released polling data from the University of Florida’s Bureau for Economic and Business Research, in partnership with the Howard T. Odum Center for Wetlands and the Bob Graham Center, suggests that a vast majority of Florida residents are concerned about algal blooms in Florida waters regardless of political, socioeconomic or racial differences. In a telephone survey, conducted in December 2018, nearly 80 percent of respondents indicated high levels of concern over algal blooms. Assessment of who is responsible for the blooms did vary across different groups, especially by political affiliation. When categorized by political affiliation, Independents were 40 percent more likely than Republicans to perceive Florida’s state government as being responsible for the blooms, while Democrats were 85 percent more likely. Across all respondents, the groups most frequently implicated as responsible were: agricultural producers (60 percent), followed by Florida’s state government (53 percent) and local governments (40 percent). The federal government, Florida residents and tourists took a small portion of the blame, cited by 32 percent, 30 percent and 22 percent of respondents, respectively…” David Kaplan for UF News.