What factors affect individuals' decisions during a Florida red tide?

Florida red tide blooms, which can last many months, pose environmental health risks to individuals. Aerosolized neurotoxins produced by the algae can cause respiratory distress, especially among asthmatics. Ingestion of toxins through contaminated shellfish causes neurotoxic shellfish poisoning. The goal of our research is to collect information regarding attitudes and determine what factors most strongly affect decisions regarding: 1) Florida red tide, 2) going to the beach, and 3) eating shellfish during a red tide bloom.

We conducted semi-structured interviews to develop a survey which included a conjoint valuation instrument. We found that the most common aspects of knowledge of Florida red tide were: it caused fish to die; is associated with a respiratory irritation; causes a bad odor; and is manmade. The most commonly cited factors about consuming shellfish were: trust in the restaurant/store; trust in the inspection of seafood; where the seafood comes from; past bad experiences; and price. The most common factors about going to the beach were: presence of dead fish and/or noxious odor; wind speed and direction; official warnings; and size of the crowd.

Specific findings include: that government warnings about eating shellfish and presence of dead fish on the beach had the biggest effects on individuals' decisions to eat shellfish or go to the beach, respectively. The use of semi-structured interviews allows for more accuracy in capturing the perception, actions, and concerns of the population, creating a more informed conjoint instrument. The consistency of utility levels with expectation indicates validity of our survey and findings. It is important to understand what affects individuals' decisions during a red tide, so that appropriate education and outreach can be developed. Inappropriate reactions to a Florida red tide event can have negative health and economics consequences for individuals and businesses.