Tourists and residents enjoy kayaking at the Ale House on the beautiful Crystal River waters.
Tarpon fishing along Crystal River and in the nearby Gulf is a enjoyment for the many tourists who come to visit Crystal River.
Crystal River, FL is the only place in the world that visitors can legally swim with manatees.
The economic impact of Lyngbya is a real threat to our economy and quality of life in Crystal River and Citrus County. Our springs are our lifeblood: commercial fisherman and recreational charters depend on the waterways for fishing and crabbing. Hotels, attractions and tour operators depend on tourists visiting the area to swim, dive, kayak, paddle board, hike, take photographs and see manatees. In fact, tourism alone infused nearly $175 million into the Crystal River economy in 2014.
Economically, Florida’s 2.7 million acres of seagrass supports both commercial and recreational fisheries that provide a wealth of benefits to the state’s economy. According to the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, Florida’s seagrass beds supported commercial harvests of fish and shellfish valued at over $124 billion. They estimated that each acre has an economic value of approximately $20,500 per year, which equals $55.4 billion annual to the state.
In 2016, the Kings Bay Restoration Project planted 5 acres of eelgrass. Sea & Shoreline estimates that eel grass has grown to over 20 acres. That is an economic value of over $400,000 per year for the Crystal River economy! This is a small community. That economic value helps our small businesses, helps our children go to college, helps the good people of Crystal River to be able to provide for their families. In 2016, the Pilot Project was established with $1.6 million, within 5 years the economic value of that planted area has at least met if not exceeded the amount of funds that was provided for start-up of the project. The economic value will only continue into the future and help to eradicate Lyngbya from Kings Bay!
Our community is collectively focused on this restoration effort for the future generations. From top to bottom, east to west, north to south we’re working in
neighborhoods and in our own homes and businesses to make sure that our resources are restored and protected.
Some of what has been done for the economic future of Crystal River:
- Citrus County Commissioners passed a stronger fertilizer ordinance.
- City of Crystal River has eliminated septic tanks along waterfront properties & installed a central sewer system throughout the city.
- Stormwater projects have helped control run-off into the bay.
- A pipeline from the City of Crystal River water treatment and re-use project will transport wastewater to Duke Energy to eliminate pumping thousands of gallons of water every day from the aquasphere.
- New construction laws require homeowners to build swales preventing yard debris and runoff from discharging directly into the river.
- Dive shop owners are putting aquariums of eelgrass in their businesses to help educate the public about the restoration project.