By Rusty Chinnis
Readers of this column are well aware of the critical state of our coastal waters. The Dapis (lyngbya) blooms that have persisted from 2020 to this year have brought the issue front and center as the harmful algae bloom choked waters and fouled the air and seagrass beds from the Manatee River to Palma Sola Bay and beyond.
I’ve mentioned in recent columns that these insults to Florida’s environment point to the lack of political will to effect the changes that are necessary to preserve our environment and the economy it supports. The recent move by the Manatee County Commission (Commissioner George Kruse being the lone dissenter) to allow developers to build closer to wetlands at a time when we should be doing just the opposite defies reason. At a state Waterkeeper weekly Zoom meeting a couple of years ago, Florida Sportsman Editor Blair Wickstrom addressed their most recent efforts to elicit support for their Vote Water Initiative. The efforts dovetail perfectly with what groups like Waterkeeper are seeking to address. This advocacy is a continuation of the magazine’s long involvement in protecting Florida anglers’ interests. Florida Sportsman Founder Karl Wickstrom and the magazine have been on the front lines continually lobbying for common sense rules and regulations.
Their plan resonated with me immediately, so I reached out to Wickstrom to hear more about Vote Water’s goals. He responded quickly with a passionate and well-reasoned argument. “If you had to pick one reason for the lack of success in protecting our state’s water from continual degradation, it would have to be lack of political will from our elected officials to get something done,” said Wickstrom, vice president of Vote Water.
“What we have in the state of Florida (and Manatee County) is a political problem, not a party issue, but when it comes to fixing the state’s water, the political problem requires a political solution,” Vote Water President Ray Judah emphasized. “Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. If you truly want to have clean air, clean water and public officials that represent the public interest instead of the special interest, the people that vote need to be informed.”
That’s the same argument I’ve used on these pages, pointing out the shared responsibility we as voters have to make much-needed changes.
The Vote Water initiative highlights not only politicians’ votes but also the amount of money they accepted from special interests. That “dirty money” is a part of the Voter Guide that the organization wants to spend more time on going forward. As the adage says, you have to follow the money. It’s clearly the case in politics.
“In order for people to be represented, to have a true democracy, we need to help make taking money from a special interest, such as the phosphate industry, toxic,” the organization says.
Don’t be fooled into believing what candidates promise, especially as the election approaches. If you care about our coastal resources, don’t vote Democrat or Republican. Check the candidates’ voting records on the water we drink and that the fish we pursue swim in. If we don’t, we may well be voting against our self-interest. The future of fishing in Florida and the economy hangs in the balance. VOTE WATER!
