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Nothing is as important as water quality, good habitat and healthy ecosystems other than you and your family’s health. Sometimes water quality affects your health too as we have seen recently in the Flint River, Port St. Lucie and the southwest coast of Florida along with other parts of the Indian River Lagoon (e.g. Brevard County, FL). As we are getting ready for this week’s International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) trade show I would like to remind the associated industries that if the habitat condition and water quality is poor, then there is no need for fishing equipment and boats or associated equipment, etc. as there will be no healthy quality fish to catch.
The issue of fishing access, catch statistics, stock assessments along with snapper and tuna quotas, and gas taxes, etc. will be a moot. This is a national and international issue, not just Florida’s, although Florida seems to be leading the country on this unfortunately. The fish tackle manufacturers, boat manufacturers, electronics industries and allied businesses need to exert their influence ($$$) on politicians, resource managers, and other various government services (e.g. for environmental protection) to guarantee clean water, good habitat, and healthy ecosystems.
Again who will buy new equipment if there are no fish available? If you think that I am exaggerating and that this this is strictly a localized fresh water and estuarine problem, I think you should study this further, as the waters from the lagoons and inlets are polluting the coastal areas all over the USA. No, the solution to pollution is Not dilution and it will impact the fish offshore. When the coastal areas including the nurseries die, then there won’t be fish offshore. I have already shown how the water from Port St. Lucie is entering the Gulf Stream and reaching the Savannah, GA – Charleston, SC area and probably further north. Can you imagine if every estuary and inlet in the country were pumping this polluted water offshore? I can imagine this unfortunately and this is why we need the fishing and boating industry to pressure everyone to stop water pollution, restore the injured ecosystems, and monitor the rivers, estuaries and ocean areas. It will cost money and time, but we must take responsibility and demand action now. No delays accepted.
Safe and Successful Fishing,
Mitchell A. Roffer (Ph.D.), President
Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc. (ROFFS™)
