BTT is announcing the launch of the “Fix Our Water” Initiative to engage anglers and the fishing industry in efforts to raise awareness and expedite revision of Florida’s water management practices to help save our fisheries.
As many of you know, current water management practices in Florida are gravely threatening Florida’s recreational fisheries. At present, many billions of gallons of polluted freshwater are being discharged every day from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River and the St. Lucie River and Estuary. These areas are unfishable. Algal blooms are widespread.
In contrast, so little freshwater is reaching Florida Bay that the waters of Florida Bay are hypersaline (too salty), resulting in a large-scale die-off of seagrass, an extensive algae bloom, and numerous fish kills.
BTT has drafted a position statement (statement is attached in PDF form and it can also be seen at www.btt.org/fixourwater) that outlines the Fix Our Water objective, goals, background, and avenues for resolution to the problem. We are asking the public to read BTT’s position statement and contact their elected officials to urge them to fast-track the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), purchase land to store and clean freshwater, and implement policies to restore healthy freshwater flows into all coastal Florida Estuaries.
Fix Our Water: Healthy Habitats = Healthy Fisheries.
Use #fixourwater and #fixFLwater on your fishing photos to show your support of our fisheries!
