Now or Neverglades | Everglades in Crisis

Did you know that today, as we speak, Florida is facing an ecological disaster? Decades of water mismanagement are having devastating effects. With each passing day, the treasure we call the Everglades slowly dies, and the Florida we all know and love slips further and further away.

We’ve lost 80% of the Everglades’ seagrass in just a few years. From the middle part of Florida all the way to the south, it is like a giant puzzle, and every piece of that puzzle is broken right now. This has disrupted the whole ecosystem of the Everglades.

The Florida Bay is where freshwater meets saltwater. It is miles and miles of shallow flats that were historically covered in grass. The water was crystal clear and pristine, full of life – crabs and shrimp, bonefish, tarpon, permit, redfish, snook, lots of sharks and rays. In the last handful of years, the seagrass has died off to about 8% death. Without the seagrass to filter out the sediments, the water continually grows more and more dirty. Just 8-9 years ago, this water was crystal clear. That is a pretty small window of time to see a body of water go from crystal clear to a mud pit.

But there is hope.

Man created these problems, and man can fix them. We must look at what nature is showing us and what science is telling us. We must restore the flow of clean, fresh water through the river of grass to the Everglades in Florida Bay, Florida’s most valuable resource. It is our responsibility to fight and protect what we love – to ensure the future of America’s everglades and our way of life.

We are fishermen. We are guides. We are outdoorsmen. We are captains. We are captains for clean water.

It is our duty as custodians of these places to protect them and pass them on for generations. Restoring freshwater with clean freshwater that flows south like it used to is the only fix for the puzzle.

C.A. Richardson is passionate about conservation and actively uses his voice and the Flats Class show to spread this message. In the episode below, C.A. fishes with Captains for Clean Water founder Capt Daniel Andrews and they discuss the water issues we’re currently facing in Florida. Give it a watch.

Donate now to save the Florida Everglades from this ecological disaster, and make a difference the world will never forget! We can’t do this without you!

On the Tom Rowland Podcast he has three podcasts going in depth explaining the problem with the Everglades. Captain Tom Rowland (Saltwater Experience) sits down with Captain Daniel Andrews of Captains for Clean Water and he explains the problem thoroughly as well as ways that you can help. Listen now to learn more about ways you can get involved: