CAPE CORAL, Fla. — There is a new voice for Southwest Florida's waters, as Calusa Waterkeeper has announced their new waterkeeper.
METEOROLOGIST ANDREW SHIPLEY GOT AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE WATERKEEPER, JOE CAVANAUGH, AND HEARD HIS VISION FOR THE CALOOSAHATCHEE.
“Very excited to bring my career back toward local and regional resource management,” said Cavanaugh.
Cavanaugh is coming to Calusa Waterkeeper after decades of experience in marine science and water quality monitoring including the last 15 years at NOAA, monitoring and protecting Smalltooth Sawfish habitat. The same animal that is featured in the organization's logo.
“Probably the Caloosahatchee River has over 50% of the reproductive output for the species.”
But after taking an early retirement from NOAA, Cavanaugh says joining Calusa Waterkeeper couldn’t have come at a better time.
“I think it is very timely. Because I think right now, as most people know, the federal government is undergoing major changes,” said Cavanaugh. “NOAA is undergoing major changes. There is a weakening in federal regulations to protect recourses like this.”
Protecting the Caloosahatchee is personal to Cavanaugh. The river means so much to him, that he even named his daughter Calusa.
“You know the name of my daughter, Calusa, and recognizing the Calusa Indians and that this is, this is the future, is really what I am most concerned about,” said Cavanaugh.
And with our future generations in focus Cavanaugh says, “There is going to be another large pulse in development that is probably going to occur over the next few years. And so, we have to ensure that it is done in a sustainable manner.”
And while Caloosahatchee faces many challenges, Cavanaugh says it is primed for an incredible comeback.
“I think it just needs the right leveraging,” said Cavanaugh. “And now is the time to leverage with NGOs, like Calusa Waterkeeper, to try to restore some of the protections to make sure we have clean water moving forward.”
Something that Cavanaugh believes is important now more than ever.
“I think we are at time now where a lot of federal protections, and even state protections are going to stagnate and if not go backwards,” said Cavanaugh. “We are not going to have help for a while, so we are going to have to hold the line.”
