A new paper in the Journal of Environmental Management — “Can you just tell me-is it safe or not?” key challenges and lessons from communicators about red tide in Florida — provides a comprehensive overview of red tide messaging and strategies based on focus group discussions conducted with professionals from the natural resources and public health sectors who detailed, their communication challenges and successes.
The paper, which includes GCOOS Outreach and Education Manager Dr. Chris Simoniello as a co-author, offers new insights into how science and health professionals navigate challenges and offers a transferable framework for others aiming to enhance harmful algal bloom risk understanding, public preparedness and community resilience, including the idea that risk communication models must tailor their messages to local needs and communication channels. The work was part of a broader effort funded by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to evaluate red tide information needs and preferences, including how demographics influence communication effectiveness.
- Citation: Elizabeth Staugler, Chris Simoniello, Madison Cordle, Paul Monaghan, “Can you just tell me-is it safe or not?” key challenges and lessons from communicators about red tide in Florida, Journal of Environmental Management, Volume 392, 2025, 126835, ISSN 0301-4797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.126835.
