Grantee Research Project Results
2005 Progress Report: Economic Effects of HABs on Coastal Communities and Shellfish Culture in Florida
EPA Grant Number: R831707Title: Economic Effects of HABs on Coastal Communities and Shellfish Culture in Florida
Investigators: Larkin, Sherry L. , Degner, Robert L. , Adams, Charles M.
Institution: University of Florida
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2006 (Extended to October 31, 2007)
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005
Project Amount: $91,959
RFA: Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Statistics , Aquatic Ecosystems , Water
Objective:
The objectives of this research project are to: (1) estimate the change in gross revenues to various business sectors of coastal communities affected by harmful algal bloom (HAB)—for example, red tide—events; (2) calculate the costs incurred by coastal communities to address the effects of HAB events, including planning efforts, contingency plans, beach patrols, cleanup, and so forth; and (3) quantify the effects of HABs and HAB-related harvest regulations on commercial molluscan shellfish operations. Empirical application will be restricted to Florida for manageability and effectiveness.
Progress Summary:
Primary and secondary data collection and analysis is ongoing. During Year 1 of this project, data have been obtained from the Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR) to begin addressing Objective 1. The original data request included the gross monthly taxable sales for 5 business kind codes across 147 ZIP codes dating from January 1995. This request has been delayed as a result of: (1) lingering questions regarding FDOR confidentiality rules; and (2) restricted access to archived pre-2003 data by FDOR staff. We are optimistic that additional data will be forthcoming as a result of the ongoing dialogue between our Ph.D. student/research associate (Kimberly Morgan) and FDOR staff (Louis Panebianco, Marsha Lammert, and Dale Snyder).
Daily sales data from January 2005 also were obtained from three restaurants in Southwest Florida. In addition to daily gross revenues, the dataset also contained a fairly comprehensive coding of general environmental conditions, maintenance, and staffing conditions that would be expected to affect sales.
The data that have been obtained have been combined with harmful algal cell count, wind speed, and wind direction data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Rick Stumpf). The wind speed and direction data were obtained by octant, making it necessary to match the available data with the revenue data by ZIP code. One additional challenge with this data is that it has been screened to exclude data within 3 miles from shore; as such, red tide events are likely underrepresented in the current dataset.
The project team spent September 26-29, 2005, in Southwest Florida to meet with industry groups and city/county managers. The team met with the following individuals during this trip:
- Barbara Kirkpatrick, Ed.D, RRT, Manager, Environmental Health Program (Ecotoxicology), Mote Marine Lab.
- Scott Montgomery, Sarasota County Manager of Aquatic Safety.
- John Connor, CEO, Solutions to Avoid Red Tide (START) and Joyce Kreger, Executive Director, START.
- Martha Wright, CFO, and the Manager of the Sandbar, Beach House, and MarVista Restaurants.
- Ray Judah, District 3 Lee County Commissioner, and D. T. Minich, Director of the Lee County Visitors Convention Bureau.
These meetings proved invaluable at directing the research project and obtaining additional contacts. One of these contacts is working with us to disseminate a hotel survey via fax in conjunction with the Lee County Chamber of Commerce.
Investigation of the impacts of red tide on molluscan shellfish (hard clam) culturists currently is being initiated. Preliminary results are expected by April 2006.
Future Activities:
Objective 1
We will continue expansion of the dataset back to 1996 and refine estimation of models, including use of wind speed and direction data.
Objective 2
We will summarize information from the survey of the hotel/motel sector and implement a survey of city/county managers (and summarize information obtained) regarding the costs incurred by coastal communities to address the effects of HAB events.
Objective 3
We will implement a survey pertaining to the commercial molluscan shellfish industry regarding supply disruption and summarize the information obtained.
Results from works in progress will be presented at the 2006 Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting and the 12th International Conference on Harmful Algae. Written summaries also will be contained in one dissertation and one thesis.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 24 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
EPA Region 4, FL, harmful algal blooms, social science, survey, ecological risk assessment, environmental monitoring, algal bloom detection, algal toxins, bloom dynamics, marine ecosystem,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Health Risk Assessment, Oceanography, Economics, algal blooms, Environmental Monitoring, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecology and Ecosystems, marine ecosystem, shellfish transport, bloom dynamics, economic assessments, water quality, algal bloom detection, human health, algal toxinsProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.