Last week I attended a specially held meeting at Mote Marine Laboratory to discuss the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its potential threat to our Southwest Florida coastline. In attendance were a handful of area real estate leaders as well as Kumar Mahadevan, President and CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory, and Ed McCrane, Emergency Management Chief for Sarasota County.
I walked away from the meeting with a handful of comforting impressions. First and foremost, the threat of oil directly impacting the coastline in Sarasota, Manatee or Charlotte counties is minimal with less than a 1% chance according to this map released by NOAA .
![]( "shoreline")
Several factors contribute to this analysis, but most importantly, the direction of Gulf currents reduce the likelihood of oil washing ashore on our area beaches.
The second overwhelming impression I experienced was how fortunate we were to have Mote Marine Laboratory and the dedicated scientists and staff right in our own back yard. From day one of the oil leak, Mote Marine has been proactively seeking to provide input and analysis to assist with the response in the panhandle as well as prepare for a potential threat to our coastline. Dr. Mahadevan pointed out something interesting during the discussion – our area is fortunate that we have the benefit of time to take baseline measures of water quality and wildlife quantity throughout the aquatic areas locally. Those areas closer to the spill site, Louisiana for example, did not have the benefit of time and will have a difficult time assessing the true damage without a baseline to compare. The volunteers and scientists at Mote Marine stand at the ready, prepared to assist in whatever capacity and I am proud that such an organization exists in our community.
When asked what “we” can do to assist Mote Marine in their efforts, Dr. Mahadevan’s response was quite simple:
1) Donate to Mote Marine Laboratory since it is a privately funded institution, and
2) Inform as many people as you can of the accurate information regarding the oil spill and its unlikely direct impact on our area beaches.
Another reason to feel fortunate for living in our local community, is the caliber of preparedness and preparation that our local government exhibits through their Emergency Management division. While we typically think of this group responding to hurricane threats and response, they are equally vigilant in their preparation for a potential threat of oil landing on our coastline. Again, Mr. McCrane stressed the benefit of time that our area has to monitor, prepare and learn from the ongoing recovery efforts to ensure the most effective response in the unlikely event that the oil reaches our shores. Another interesting fact is that many beach goers may be fooled into thinking that “tar balls” have landed on the beach, when in fact they are looking at naturally occurring aquatic life known as tunicates or “sea squirts.”
It is no secret that our area beaches are one of the most precious resources in our community. Our white sand is the reason that millions vacation here and many decide to stay permanently and live in paradise. This group of area real estate leaders simply wanted to know “What can we do to help?” and do our part to preserve the pristine coastline that we are fortunate to call home. This article is one small part to provide some accurate and non-sensational information to you, the reader.
Please pass this information along so that we can get the word out that Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte County beaches are as beautiful as ever and open for business!
Several factors contribute to this analysis, but most importantly, the direction of Gulf currents reduce the likelihood of oil washing ashore on our area beaches.
The second overwhelming impression I experienced was how fortunate we were to have Mote Marine Laboratory and the dedicated scientists and staff right in our own back yard. From day one of the oil leak, Mote Marine has been proactively seeking to provide input and analysis to assist with the response in the panhandle as well as prepare for a potential threat to our coastline. Dr. Mahadevan pointed out something interesting during the discussion – our area is fortunate that we have the benefit of time to take baseline measures of water quality and wildlife quantity throughout the aquatic areas locally. Those areas closer to the spill site, Louisiana for example, did not have the benefit of time and will have a difficult time assessing the true damage without a baseline to compare. The volunteers and scientists at Mote Marine stand at the ready, prepared to assist in whatever capacity and I am proud that such an organization exists in our community.
When asked what “we” can do to assist Mote Marine in their efforts, Dr. Mahadevan’s response was quite simple:
1) Donate to Mote Marine Laboratory since it is a privately funded institution, and
2) Inform as many people as you can of the accurate information regarding the oil spill and its unlikely direct impact on our area beaches.
Another reason to feel fortunate for living in our local community, is the caliber of preparedness and preparation that our local government exhibits through their Emergency Management division. While we typically think of this group responding to hurricane threats and response, they are equally vigilant in their preparation for a potential threat of oil landing on our coastline. Again, Mr. McCrane stressed the benefit of time that our area has to monitor, prepare and learn from the ongoing recovery efforts to ensure the most effective response in the unlikely event that the oil reaches our shores. Another interesting fact is that many beach goers may be fooled into thinking that “tar balls” have landed on the beach, when in fact they are looking at naturally occurring aquatic life known as tunicates or “sea squirts.”
It is no secret that our area beaches are one of the most precious resources in our community. Our white sand is the reason that millions vacation here and many decide to stay permanently and live in paradise. This group of area real estate leaders simply wanted to know “What can we do to help?” and do our part to preserve the pristine coastline that we are fortunate to call home. This article is one small part to provide some accurate and non-sensational information to you, the reader.
Please pass this information along so that we can get the word out that Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte County beaches are as beautiful as ever and open for business!