Pfiesteria Pfiesteria HysteriaHysteria::

The Town’s TaleThe Town’s Tale

You’re an aquatic ecologist with North Carolina State University, you have been assigned to be a field biologist at the Pamlico Sound Research Station.

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a000700/a000756/

To zoom in on your North Carolina location click the link below:

Pamlico is a small fishing town. . .

that loves and depends on their fish a lot.

Then one day, a local fisherman brings you a fish and says he thinks there is something in the water killing all the fish. He tells you there must be millions of dead fish in the Pungo River.

You and your team immediately go and investigate.

With your findings the Governor has set up a task force comprised of the following people:

Commercial Users of the Bay: Watermen: Crabs, Oysters, etc, Commercial FishermenSeafood ProcessorBoat & Dock Maintenance

Associated Commercial UseTransportation: Trucker, Rail, etcSeafood RestaurantGroceryMotel OwnerBoat & Recreation (ie Waterskiing,

etc)Small Farming Industrial Chicken Farming (Purdue)Stockholders in CommercialReal EstateHealth Insurance

Personal ApplicationsHomeowner, RetireeWater & Sport User

ScientificMolecular Biologists @ NIH, CARB, Marine Biotechnology (Columbus Center)Environmental, Natural Scientists @ EPA, CBF, FDA, DNRWater Company Filtration PlantPhysicians @ Local, State Health Department

Media & PublicityLocal & National TV, Radio, NewspaperPublic Relations for State & Region

EducationStudents, Teachers, Public

Public PolicyLocal, State & National Politicians

In order to prepare for our Governor’s Conference you will:

1. Complete the Pfiesteria Lit to gain background knowledge about the organism’s biology; the effects on the ecosystem; the health, economic, and public policy issues involved.

2. Meet with your groups and consider which groups of people, or organizations might

a. be impacted by a Pfiesteria outbreak

b. have pertinent knowledge about the cause or solution to an outbeak

c. might be able to implement policy to prevent further outbreaks

3. Role play as a member of one of the constituencies identified in #2. As part of your assignment, you will identify risks (risks to the ecosystem, the health, the economy) and perform a risk / benefit analysis for your particular issue. This will also be prepared as a written document to appear in the permanent record.

4. Present your testimony to the Governor and his panel at the conference. The Governor will discuss an overall risk / benefit analysis and make a final decision for future action.

Good luck.

The health of this ecosystem depends on you!