Cold temperatures killing off fish

Deaths of invasive exotic types may be good for native fish

Posted: January 13, 2010 - 12:06am
By MARCIA LANE

Mike Powell, who lives in the Treasure Beach area, only has to look in nearby canals to see victims of the extended cold weather.

"There are fish all over the canals. Mainly mullet and tiger minnows," Powell said.

It's one more sign of what frigid temperatures are doing in the Sunshine State.

"We have had calls for all over our state because of dead fish," said Lt. Joy Hill with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

While studies haven't been done, Hill said it's "pretty much 100 percent" that the fish kills are related to the cold weather that has seen temperatures drop into the teens.

She said pompano, mullet and tiger minnows are floating in waterways and rivers in this area.

"There are hundreds and hundreds of snook dying all the way down into Indian River County," Hill said. "It's very cold and very extensive."

On the good side, Hill noted the cold weather is also killing exotic fish that sometimes overwhelm native fish and take over their habitat.

"We're finding armored catfish and tilapia killed as well," Hill said.

Sea turtles stressed

Wildlife officials and volunteers further downstate and in the Panhandle are battling another cold weather event -- cold-stressed sea turtles.

On Tuesday, Hill was in the Daytona and Brevard County area where volunteers and wildlife officials are working to rescue the turtles.

"We've had volunteers, biologists and officers stopping to pick up the turtles," Hill said.

The turtles are taken to facilities where they're put in warm water for a few days to help them recovery and then they can be released. However, the length of the cold spell and the sheer number of turtles is crowding facilities.

About 800 cold-stressed sea turtles have been recovered along the southeast coast including Indian River and Mosquito lagoons. About 2,000 have been picked up along the Panhandle.

The extreme cold leaves the turtles basically cold stunned and lethargic, and they either float listlessly in the water or wash to shore. They may appear to be dead, but are often alive. A couple of days in warmer waters with treatment and the turtles usually recover.

"We're hoping to get some rental truck companies to help us out," Hill said. Enclosed trucks are needed to haul the turtles.

Manatees are also threatened.

FWC is asking people to be extra vigilant and stay away from warm-water habitats where the animals may gather.

In South Florida, the FWC is warning hunters to be careful while out because Burmese pythons are sunning themselves in an effort to keep warm.

TO REPORT

Report dead and dying fish to the Fish Kill Hotline at (800) 636-0511.

All other distressed wildlife should be reported to FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922.

http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2010-01-13/cold-temperatures-killing-fish