title: Human responses to Florida red tides: policy awareness and adherence to local fertilizer ordinances.
abstract: To mitigate the damages of natural hazards, policy responses can be beneficial only if they are effective. Using a self-administered survey approach, this paper focuses on the adherence to local fertilizer ordinances (i.e., county or municipal rules regulating the application of fertilizer to private lawns or facilities such as golf courses) implemented in jurisdictions along the Southwest Florida coast in response to hazardous blooms of Florida red tides (Karenia brevis). These ordinances play a role in the context of evolving programs of water pollution control at federal, state, water basin, and local levels. With respect to policy effectiveness, while the strength of physical linkages is of critical importance, the extent to which humans affected are aware of and adhere to the relevant rules, is equally critical. We sought to understand the public's depth of understanding about the rationales for local fertilizer ordinances. Respondents in Sarasota, Florida, were asked about their fertilizer practices in an area that has experienced several major blooms of Florida red tides over the past two decades. A highly educated, older population of 305 residents and "snowbirds" reported relatively little knowledge about a local fertilizer ordinance, its purpose, or whether it would change the frequency, size, or duration of red tides. This finding held true even among subpopulations that were expected to have more interest in or to be more knowledgeable about harmful algal blooms. In the face of uncertain science and environmental outcomes, and with individual motivations at odds with evolving public policies, the effectiveness of local community efforts to decrease the impacts of red tides may be compromised. Targeted social-science research on human perceptions about the risks of Florida red tides and education about the rationales for potential policy responses are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.affiliation: Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, Cornwall, UK; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: L.E.Fleming@Exeter.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lora E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scheller
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Toxins Program, Environmental Health, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, Cornwall, UK.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
authors.affiliation: Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.affiliation: University of Miami Business School, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ullmann
authors.affiliation: Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Porter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoagland
mesh_terms: D058735:Environmental Policy; D005308:Fertilizers; D005431:Florida; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D057097:Harmful Algal Bloom; D006801:Humans; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers
keywords: Fertilizer ordinance; Florida red tide; Harmful algal bloom (HAB); Karenia brevis; Total maximum daily load (TMDL)