Red tides and participation in marine-based activities: Estimating the response of Southwest Florida residents

Abstract

Blooms of Karenia brevis (red tide) can kill marine life and irritate human respiratory systems. Knowing how and why participation in marine-based activities (beach-going, fishing, and coastal restaurant patronage) is affected during a red tide is fundamental to estimating the changes in use that occur. Using a sample of residents in Southwest Florida, participant choice models for each activity were estimated to determine the likelihood of alternate behavioral decisions during a red tide event. We find that factors influenced by extension activities have a larger impact than socioeconomic factors commonly hypothesized to affect individual response behavior.