Over 10 different media outlets participated in the day-long educational tour as part of the environmental campaign surrounding The Big Game

(Left) Eric Eikenberg, CEO of The Everglades Foundation, stands next to a photojournalist in Florida Bay. (Right) Over a dozen journalists from local, national and international outlets learned about the importance of Everglades restoration to the health of Florida Bay. (Photo credit: Stephanie Tiangco Carrion)

A fleet of 11 fishing boats left Islamorada on Wednesday, January 29, carrying two dozen media representatives who wanted a first-hand view of how reduced fresh water flow through the Everglades is impacting the Sportfishing Capital of the World — the Florida Keys and Florida Bay.

The media tour was part of the Foundation’s initiatives for the weekend’s football game, which “aims to give the world a better appreciation of Florida’s environment, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Everglades,” said Eric Eikenberg, CEO of The Everglades Foundation.

“Working press from as far away as Israel got to see how increased salinity levels are spoiling one of Florida’s greatest treasures,” added Carlos de la Cruz, Jr., chairman of The Everglades Foundation’s Board of Directors. “Through their eyes, millions of readers and viewers both here and abroad will soon learn just how important Everglades restoration really is.”

Following presentations by the Foundation’s Senior Ecologist, Dr. Steve Davis, the boats set out to observe areas of Florida Bay where sea grass was completely killed off due to salinity levels that approached 80 parts per thousand in 2015. The higher salinity levels are caused, Davis noted, by a lack of fresh water flowing south through the Everglades.

Healthy sea grass, Davis explained, is critical to sea life. In Florida Bay, it provides spawning and feeding grounds for some of the most highly prized sport fish on the planet.

“We can restore sea grass — and with it, a healthy fishery,” Eikenberg noted, “but to do so, we must move more fresh water south.”

Fully two-thirds of the fresh water that once flowed into Florida Bay is now siphoned off, but restoration efforts including increasing the southward flow of water through the Tamiami Trail are already bearing fruit, Davis noted.

“It is important,” Davis said, “that reporters understand that these ecosystems are resilient and that further destruction can be prevented. What’s needed is the completion of restoration projects that help to send clean water south.”

The tour was hosted at World Wide Sportsman and Bass Pro Shops in Islamorada.

About The Everglades Foundation

The Everglades Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to leading efforts to restore and protect the greater Everglades ecosystem. Since its founding in 1993 by a group of local outdoor enthusiasts, the Foundation has become a respected and important advocate for the sustainability of one of the world’s most unique ecosystems. For more information about The Everglades Foundation, please visit EvergladesFoundation.org.