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| Thousands of dead fish are floating in local ponds because of the recent
Chere Simmons photos and designlong-term cold weather. The few that survived are still in danger because birds are flocking to the ponds, even finding ways to get under the plastic on ponds that are covered. |
By Penny Fletcher
penny@observernews.net
SOUTH COUNTY — Statewide, fish farmers have lost between 60 and 90 percent of their stock and South County is no exception.
The U.S. Weather Service in Ruskin has verified tropical fish farmers’ claims that last week’s cold spell was the longest on record for this area.
“Of course, thermometers have only been in existence for about 150 years,” said David Boozer, executive director of the Florida Tropical Fish Farm Association based in Winter Haven. “We can’t tell if this is some kind of 200-year cycle or anything, but from the data we have on record, this is the longest cold spell yet.”
Statewide figures coming in are already showing overall losses could be as high as 70- to- 90 percent.
With 110 fish farms in the association, Boozer has contacted only 12, but that’s because it is too early to have exact counts.
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| Ty Simmons holds a cluster of plecostomus catfish eggs that are harvested in the wild and then hatched to maturity on fish farms (like the ones in the inset). They too, were easy targets of the freeze |
“They’re really going to take losses this time,” Boozer said. “They have insurance, but they have to register that they took at least a 50 percent loss to file a claim, and then they’ll get paid 15-to-20 cents on the dollar with a cap of $80,000. Some are going to lose everything.”
Andy Jackson of Segrest Farms, a wholesaler of tropical fish located on Big Bend Road in Gibsonton, said he and other area wholesalers always try to fill their orders from local farmers, but this month, they’re scrambling to find any imports available and talk clients into whatever species they can locate instead of what they originally wanted to buy.
“We hate doing this, because locally-grown fish are so much better quality than imports. Plus we always want to support the community,” Jackson continued.
But as of January 13, there were no local fish to be had.
Seventy-six-year-old Harley Burnett, owner of Burnett Tropical Fish in Ruskin, has been in the fish-farming business all his life, having worked for others until 1972 when he opened his own business.
“This is the worst loss I’ve ever seen,” Burnett said in an interview following more than a week of freezing and nearly freezing temperatures. “We can take a freeze for a night or two, but this long-term cold’s got us.”
Burnett has 80 small pools at one location and 9 large ones at another. All were covered with plastic tarps when the cold weather began, but still, he thinks he has lost at least 70 percent of his stock.
“I can’t be sure, because I don’t want to touch them (the fish) just yet. Some may have found a warm spot and could come back in a day or so if they’re left alone. But the birds are trying to get in, and some have, even with the covering.
He figures he has lost 6,000-to-8,000 fish in 15 different species. “I brought some breeders inside but it’ll be 2-1/2-to-4 months before they mature, and I can’t fill my orders. I turned down an order for 4,900 pink kissers at 25¢ each yesterday.
Burnett says he has lost fish to extreme heat but never before to cold because he has always protected his ponds.
Other fish farmers agree.
Beth McGowan at Ed Parker Tropical Fish says they haven’t even been able to evaluate their losses yet. “We’re afraid to touch anything. There may still be some alive in there and if we do anything, they’ll die too.”
Meanwhile, McGowan said Bullfrog Creek is filled with dead snook and perch, so hardy breeds of edible fish have died as well.
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| Dead fish line the bank of a pond in this photo taken after one of the coldest nights this month.
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Ty Simmons is the third generation of his family to run Steve Simmons Aquatics, also in Ruskin. “My Grandfather started it, and my sister Chrissy and I run it now,” Ty said. “I have very deep wells. The water is usually around 72 degrees year round. I turn them on to irrigate the ponds, bringing in the warmer water during times like these. We can face cold snaps for several days but when it gets to be a week or 10 days, nothing will help.”
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| The south Hillsborough area has been known for its superior quality tropical fish for generations and ornamental fish are one of the top exports from Tampa International Airport. The aerial above shows a Ruskin fish farm that has many open and covered ponds. Even covered ponds were no match for the prolonged cold since freezing temperatures for more than 48 hours will kill most of the fish.
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| At right, rows of tanks usually hold thousands of tropical fish on their way to pet stores across the nation. Many now sit empty in the aftermath of recent freezes. |
Simmons says they specialize in four types of fish, all 100 percent ornamental in use.
“In past years, people wanted fish in their homes,” he said. “But not so much now because they’re occupied with computer games and electronics. People aren’t buying fish like they used to so we were already down (in sales) before this.”
Still, tropical fish are one of the top exports leaving Tampa International Airport and this long-lasting freeze is going to hurt the local economy in a ripple effect; hitting suppliers of items for the farmers; stores where they spend their money; restaurants where they eat, and even their ability to pay for their homes and land.
“It’s going to be rough,” Boozer said.
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