OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – World champion angler Scott Martin pushed again in opposition to a latest report labeling Lake Okeechobee as one of many nation’s dirtiest lakes, arguing the article relied on flawed calculations and deceptive language.
Talking on Florida’s Voice Radio with Drew Steele, Martin mentioned even the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers raised considerations over how the information within the report was formulated.
“The principle factor that they cited the information group WPTV, known as the Corps of Engineers. And even the Corps had actual concern on how they got here up with this formulation. They weren’t conscious of this calculation and these numbers that they someway got here up with. So someway they did this on their very own,” Martin mentioned.
Martin acknowledged the presence of phosphorus in Lake Okeechobee however pressured it’s a frequent concern in agricultural lakes nationwide.
“Do we now have sizzling phosphorus in Lake Okeechobee? Completely. However there’s sizzling phosphorus in a whole lot of agricultural-surrounded lakes. That’s simply the character of it,” Martin mentioned, noting that algae blooms additionally happen in lakes akin to Lake Champlain.
He mentioned phosphorus ranges in Okeechobee are lowering by 5 to six % yearly and that restoring aquatic vegetation will additional assist filter the lake.
Martin’s sharpest criticism was aimed on the report’s point out of lead.
“What bothers me about this report is that they used the phrase lead. In some way they roped in lead poisoning into this report, which is the place I’ve an actual large drawback, since you make it sound terrible by utilizing the phrase lead like as if everyone’s going to die of lead poisoning,” he mentioned.
Florida’s state threshold for prime lead is 15 elements per million, Martin famous, whereas the research cited simply 0.63.
“So it’s not even like a one. It’s like 200% beneath what anyone would even have an alarm fee for,” Martin mentioned. “That proves to me that this text was written maliciously to do a blackout on Lake Okeechobee for no matter motive.”
Martin, who grew up on the lake and continues to fish it usually, mentioned situations stay sturdy.
“This lake is crystal clear. I’m using round on my airboat taking a look at bluegill beds and all of the bass swimming round. The water appears nice,” he mentioned. “We’re combating for it each single day. The fishermen, the farmers, all of the folks round this lake—we’re all pulling the rope in the identical course.”
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