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Many dead fish are seen in Snake Bight

For the second time in 1 ½ months, a major fish kill has been reported in Florida Bay.

Kendall's Dr. Lloyd Wruble, an avid angler, reported seeing thousands of dead ladyfish, mullet, pinfish, and catfish in the Jimmy's Lake area on the eastern end of Snake Bight on Monday.

``I've never seen anything like it before,'' Wruble said Tuesday. ``Thickly together, forming a mat almost. Thousands of cormorants were gathered to feast on the carcasses.''

Cold took heavy toll on Florida wildlife

Despite four decades of slogging through Everglades marshes and mangroves, wildlife ecologist Frank Mazzotti had never experienced anything like the aftermath of frigid January. The confirmed casualty count so far:

At least 70 dead crocodiles.

More than 60 manatee carcasses.

Three fisheries closed as authorities deal with fish killed by cold weather

A massive statewide fish kill caused by the prolonged frigid weather has prompted Florida fisheries managers to temporarily shut down three important saltwater recreational fisheries.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday afternoon issued an executive order to extend the closed season for snook statewide until September and to impose temporary closures for bonefish and tarpon until April. The order also suspends some saltwater fishing regulations to allow residents to collect and dispose of dead fish. The measures take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, and are set to expire Feb. 1 unless repealed or extended.

Anglers throughout the state have reported seeing thousands of dead fish in bays, rivers, estuaries, lakes and even the open ocean over the past week as water temperatures dipped far below normal and stayed there.

Snake Bight proposal is made

Everglades National Park officials have proposed a pole-and-troll zone in Snake Bight -- a popular, shallow-water fishing area in Florida Bay near Flamingo, and they want to know what anglers think about it.

According to a news release from the park, boats would be allowed to use push poles, paddles and electric trolling motors in the new zone; combustion motors would be prohibited. To access the area, boats would be allowed to run on plane in Snake Bight and Tin Can channels. In adjacent Jimmie's Lake, boats would have to operate at idle speed in waters deeper than two feet.

Park officials said the aim is to help protect seagrass and wildlife habitat, and to enhance shallow-water fishing, wildlife viewing and paddling opportunities.

Cold inflicted major toll on fish in Florida

Everywhere he steered his skiff last week, Pete Frezza saw dead fish.

From Ponce de Leon Bay on the Southwest Coast down across Florida Bay to Lower Matecumbe in the Florida Keys -- day after day, dead fish. Floating in the marina at Flamingo in Everglades National Park alone he counted more than 400 snook and 400 tarpon.

``I was so shook up, I couldn't sleep,'' said Frezza, an ecologist for Audubon of Florida and an expert flats fisherman. ``Millions and millions of pilchards, threadfin herring, mullet. Ladyfish took it really bad. Whitewater Bay is just a graveyard.''