Environmental Factors Affecting Florida's Economy

One of the major contributors to Florida’s economy is revenue from tourism. Tourism attractions such as amusement parks, water parks, museums, and habitat viewing. However, with the increase of tourism, the ecology of Florida has been affected in many dangerous ways. Pollution, destruction, and overpopulation of ecosystems are among the top result, according to a study from the University of Vermont. The coral reefs in the Key West are especially targeted by these effects, since they provide habitats for many species and without healthy reefs, the entire ecosystem collapses. However, tourism in itself does not tend to cause harm for the environment. There are alternative options without damaging the economy and allow the ecology to grow,
Global climate change, unsustainable fishing impacts, and land-based pollution are some threats that decline the coral reefs. According to Terry Gibson, a co-author of a report from University of Miami, said that “from scuba diving in the Keys to charter fishing boats in Miami-Dade to commercial fishing in Martin County, reef-related sales amount to more than $5.5 billion each year.” Also, heavy touristic activities such as diving and snorkeling can take a toll on coral reefs. According to engineering firm Hazen & Sawyer, their survey on participation in recreational activities concludes that “five counties, Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Martin, and Palm Beach, make up more than 70,000 jobs and over $5.5 billion in annual sales in recreation related to coral reefs”. From this, employment relating to coral reefs generate more than $2.5 billion in annual income. The firm also mentioned that “overall users were willing to pay an additional $10.51 per day to fund efforts to preserve natural coral reefs and construct new artificial ones.” This may lead an increase in overall tourism to an area, meaning more visitors to both the artificial and natural reefs. However, these artificial reefs would then cause obstruction to habitats and attract invasive
Bruce Popham, owner of Marathon Boat Yard in the Florida Keys who works on different types of commercial boats and yachts, simply argues that “we need to keep the coral reefs healthy in the Keys enable to receive more patients”. Many businesses who rely on coral reefs, like Popham’s, would go out of business and lose jobs. Nevertheless, he has worked hard and spent more than a decade attempting to restore the coral reefs, and with the help of volunteers, planted nearly 30,000 Elkhorn and staghorn corals, which would create offshore nurseries. Popham also added, that acidification is “a key piece of the puzzle that needs to be put in place. We are a tourism-based economy. If we start having major issues because of acidification, that's the livelihood of most people who live in the Keys." To further clarify, the coral reefs that are currently struggling to handle all of the harmful forces and acidification would create other factors that would cause unhealthy coral reefs. The reefs would start to corrode in the more acidic seas. Not to mention, the coral reefs draw approximately 4 million tourists each year and the most economically prominent fish species like groupers, jacks, snappers, pompanos, sheep heads, and crabs solely rely on healthy coral