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Florida is at war with Alabama and Georgia over water rights. If Florida loses the battle, it may eliminate thousands of jobs in one of the states most popular industries.

If you go to your favorite seafood restaurant and eat an oyster, it’s likely to have come from Florida’s Apalachicola Bay. A decades long ‘water war’ with Atlanta have already caused half of the Florida delicacy to die off.

US Senator Bill Nelson spoke about the issue, “Current water policies are not working and certainly not working for Florida.”

US Senators Nelson and Marco Rubio held a hearing in the small North Florida town of about 25-hundred to talk about the disastrous impact the lack of fresh water flowing from Georgia is having on the bay.

Monday afternoon The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared the west coast of Florida a fishery disaster. It sites three factors: an ongoing drought, reduced downstream river flow and increased salt in the water. That recipe creates a perfect storm for catastrophe.

Matt Horn reports, “Senator Nelson says if fresh water isn’t restored to Apalachicola bay it could cost the area hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.”

The Senators say the bulls-eye is on Lake Lanier outside of Atlanta. The reservoir holds about 60-percent of the water that ends up in Florida. More water has been tapped for Georgia causing the lack of water here.

Lowest water levels since data has been kept in 1923. Lawmakers and fishers in the area are calling on the US Army Corps of Engineers and neighboring states to conserve more, so more water makes it to Apalachicola Bay.

Local Fisherman James Cooper said changes are needed, “if no fresh water then we can’t make a living.”

Florida Governor Rick Scott toured the area with the senators Tuesday Afternoon. He says Florida will sue Georgia over water rights, if nothing is done to allow freshwater to flow to Apalachicola Bay.