# Fish and shrimp ,bitter cold takes its toll



## sentrysam (Feb 26, 2010)

Red Snapper closed,is the inshore species next ?Just got my GON rag and read this,wonder whats up the DNR's sleeve that they aren't gonna tell we sportsman till they're ready.Very interesting read here ,definately something to be thinking about...ss PS: This is not to be mislead into being demeaning to anyone by me.Hope I said that right..ss

Bitter Cold In Early January Takes A Toll On Coastal Fish and Shrimp 
Coastal Resources to monitor cold impacts on crustacean and fish populations. 

By GON Staff 
Posted Tuesday February 23 2010, 11:42 AM 

The new year arrived with a rude surprise — abnormally cold temperatures. The north Georgia mountains saw temperatures in the single digits while the usually balmy coastal counties suffered through several consecutive nights in the mid to low 20s. As the air temperature plunged, so did the water temperature in coastal estuaries and the near-shore Atlantic Ocean. 

“For over 30 years, we’ve measured January water temperatures as part of our coast-wide marine-life survey. We’ve had winters where the water temperature dropped into the low 40s or even upper 30s for a couple of days, but it would bounce back to the low 50s pretty quickly. In early January we had water temperatures between 39 and 45 degrees for almost two weeks,” said Spud Woodward, DNR’s Coastal Resources Division director. 

When water temperatures remain well below average for a long time, marine life accustomed to warmer conditions can be stressed or even killed. 

Shrimp die when exposed to water temperatures of 47 degrees or lower. Common species such as blue crab and red drum are hardier, surviving until temperatures dip into the mid-30s, but even they become sluggish in the frigid waters, making them more vulnerable to predators like wading birds and dolphins.

Spotted seatrout, a popular fish with coastal anglers, can die when water temperatures fall into the low 40s. Even if they don’t immediately succumb to the cold waters, they can be stressed to the point they may die later. Also, a loss of shrimp can mean less food for trout and other fish during the already lean times of winter.

By the second week of January, there were scattered reports of dead fish — a few trout and mullet — from Savannah to St. Marys. 

Bait-shrimp harvesters reported catching dead shrimp in their trawls, and dead shrimp even washed up on the beach at Jekyll Island. 

Even the coastal-bird population took a hit as several dead pelicans were observed floating in coastal waterways. 

“We’ll be monitoring crustacean and fish populations closely in the coming months. If we see that catches in our scientific surveys are far below average, it may be necessary to take some additional conservation action,” said Woodward.

Exactly what those actions might be remains to be seen. The DNR commissioner has authority to close and open shrimp and blue-crab seasons, but the legislature retains authority over most saltwater fish. 

“In the past, the commissioner has closed inshore bait-shrimp harvesting and delayed opening the spring food-shrimp-trawling season after winters when water temperatures dropped far below normal. We’ll consider these measures but only after we have strong evidence that such action is warranted. We realize that closing fisheries will have an adverse economic impact,” said Woodward.

Periodic cold snaps are a natural occurrence, and animal populations can rebound. Short-lived species like shrimp can recover after one spawning season, but sometimes it can take years for fish populations to rebuild. 

“We know that water temperatures were cold enough to kill speckled trout even though we didn’t see widespread evidence of fish kills like those that happened in Florida,” Woodward said. “So, it would be wise for anglers to be more conservative with the harvest of larger trout this spring and summer.

“With a few exceptions, trout over 18 inches are actively spawning females. The larger the fish, the more eggs they produce per spawn. Leaving these large fish in the water gives them more chances to spawn, which means more young trout, and hopefully more fish to catch the following year.”


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## Mechanicaldawg (Feb 26, 2010)

It seems to be a reasonable plan to monitor the resource and take additional conservation measures if appropriate.

Personally, I will not be keeping any trout over 18" this year.


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## sentrysam (Feb 26, 2010)

*me also*



Mechanicaldawg said:


> It seems to be a reasonable plan to monitor the resource and take additional conservation measures if appropriate.
> 
> Personally, I will not be keeping any trout over 18" this year.



I cant catch'em very proficiently in the first place so I dont think they gotta worry bout me depleteing the herd.Had rather eat whiteing/southern kingfish myself.this very well could be a big concern for the avid trout angler though.maybe we'll get lucky and dodge a bullett and the inshore game fish wont be affected as bad as they may predict.Yea,i do practise catch and release a lot....ss


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## oldenred (Feb 26, 2010)

sentrysam said:


> Yea,i do practise catch and release a lot....ss



catch and release into the frying pan maybe....


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## Mechanicaldawg (Feb 26, 2010)

Whether I catch them proficiently or not is directly affected by who is in my boat with me. I can catch a few by myself but add the right partner and results go up dramatically.

Sea trout is one of my favorites and I try to keep plenty in the freezer. 

At the urging of a friend who is a charter Capt. I had been releasing all over 22" already.


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## brailediver (Feb 26, 2010)

Sounds to me like ole spud is planning a creel reduction!


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## PaulD (Feb 26, 2010)

brailediver said:


> Sounds to me like ole spud is planning a creel reduction!



Yep. Called that one too!

You know I'm just sitting here flinging random profanity at my computer right now. I was in the water during that cold and right after. So were other friends of mine. All within spiting distance of the islands. Nobody saw any stinking dead shrimp or fish or, for the love of things holy, a flipping dead pelican! You people in Atlanta can believe what you want but stop being such blind sheep! Your goverment leaders don't always tell you the truth, people do have agendas and ignorance let's them acheive it! I'm just tired of this crap! Anyone with any scens knows that just because the water is 39 at the testing site doesn't mean its 39 every where! Its not 39 on the bottom of a 25' hole nor on a 1' deep mud flat on incoming tide! If Spud and special interest groups told some of you that the sky was falling you'd run for a storm bunker. Some out of admiration, some out of ignorance. Stop relying in crap like this. Go see it for yourself, call a crabber, call a shrimper, call a local fisherman. Do something besides read a magazine or an internet article and think your educated about something when all you can do is regurgitate information that was fed to you. Educate yourselves folks! To many people just sit up in non coastal areas and believe crap that's fed to them by people who are working their own angles. Its not you alls fault for not knowing. Its the ones who twist and misreprestent information that are the problem but you just become their sheep when you believe it without question. Do your dang research yourself! Stop being sheep. 

I love this sport. I love my state and I love my coast. I want to see her keep pure and flourishing more than anyone and I want my son to have that too. I don't want a misguided, disconnected government screwing it up like they have our state budget, our education system and our legal system. Think about it! 

I'm off my soapbox now. Good night my friends!


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## jamrens (Feb 26, 2010)

preach on brother


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## PaulD (Feb 26, 2010)

I think I will......I'm just fumming tonight between this drivel and then having some troll that came on here under little more pretense then to call out those who oppose this kinda crap! Its gotta stop guys. Do y'all realize all the possible ramifications of the recreational fisheries collapsing? How it would effect taxes, jobs, and legal issues? It's not a joke. More state jobs cut. Loss of our coastal law enforcement would be a tragic. The waters could turn into a floating wild west as people that would normally be law abiding would toss it aside. Property taxes would be raised to try to recover tax revenue. It's sickening!


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## brailediver (Feb 26, 2010)

Time to take the gloves off gentlemen! They aren't listening to us!


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## pawnmaster (Feb 26, 2010)

Amen brother Pauld. Pauld for President


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## oldenred (Feb 26, 2010)

pawnmaster said:


> Amen brother Pauld. Pauld for President



how bout head of the NOAA???


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## Nautical Son (Feb 27, 2010)

Guys Paul and I are on the same page in this book, If you think we had even a few hundred dead trout as a result of the cold water think again.... I live within 500 yards of the water and have yet to see one single dead fish.....unless it was filleted....

The CRD in Georgia needs a major enema....except start at the top...with the talking head Spuddy buddy...

I agree there may have been a confirmed fishkill in the Morehead, NC area but it didn't happen here and there is no reason to limit the already limited taking of a fish that is so prevalent from VA Beach to Texas.....


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## Mechanicaldawg (Feb 28, 2010)

I spoke with several guides this weekend and they, to a man, said they've witnessed dead trout. Most of them seemed to think it was not severe though they did seem to think it would have a noticeable impact.

None of them were too concerned about the reds.

The thing that they were all concerned about was the loss of shrimp. The think the loss to relative shrimp was as bad as they've ever seen.

BTW, for those on lookers here, please understand that people do have confidence in CRD and Spud in particular. Don't gauge his training, ability, love of the fishery, the fishermen & our heritage by the mostly one-sided rhetoric you read on this board. As was suggested previously, by all means, do get out & learn for yourself.

Also remember that people who cry foul at the idea of doing studies to measure the impact are usually hiding their own agenda or perhaps harboring a grudge for some perceived slight.


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

I have not seen 1 dead fish this past 2months. I'm on the water 2 to 3 days a week. I speak with charter captians on a daily basis and i have asked this question. NOPE, not true....not one bit is true.
I run with a crew of dedicated fisherman that go out several times a week and not one has seen a dead trout....
shrimping is always slow this time of year for bait...unless your in the know, your not going to find any shrimp....

I've asked 8 or 9 guys who go out regulary and no one has seen this. 

if you dont live near the water or go in the water how canyou sit back in the hills and preach about something you hear on the internet from one charter captian??

i think the lowest i heard of any fish kills from the cold came from NC.....if anything from SC was said it may be because the floated south.


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

im gonna make it a point to call out some charter captians and ask their permission to post what they say about this....

i asked a couple of the top knotch guides here what theyre catching and im hearing lots of 40 to 60 trout being caught everytime out..now this is fromjust a couple of very renowned captians and they arent going to tell me where their going but they are catching trout....how can you sit there 4hrs away from the nearest water and tell me whats happening? are u

lets be realistic.


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## Mechanicaldawg (Feb 28, 2010)

bouymarker said:


> if you dont live near the water or go in the water how canyou sit back in the hills and preach about something you hear on the internet from one charter captian??



You should try to make fewer assumptions.

You're not very good at it.


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

mechdog, i'd like to hear from some local guides that live and fish here to tell us this find...usually we all would want at least one picture of a dead trout..give me that.
heck, i can show you a dead sturgeon from savannah river..does that mean we need to put them on the endangered list? it was chopped up by a boat, should we all stay off the water?
i cant catch a fish right now, does that mean their not there?


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

Mechanicaldawg said:


> You should try to make fewer assumptions.
> 
> You're not very good at it.



i can be at the water in 5minutes boat in trail..
not making any assumptions, where you?


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## Mechanicaldawg (Feb 28, 2010)

buoy,

Go talk to them. I talked to quite a few over the past two days and not one of them has tried to shrug off concern about the effect of the cold water.

On the same hand, none of them are crying that the sky is falling either.

Neither is CRD! They have merely indicated that they plan on looking at the effects on the various fisheries to determine if any action needs to be taken.

If they did not react that way most people would be upset that they were not doing there job.

As for the part about me not knowing where the coast is, I have a boat, a truck, am 3 1/2 hours from the ramp and I am no more afraid of the drive as am to trust what I hear from folks who I know live with and understand the resource.


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

thats all great and grand...but we people here aint seeing what you seeing 3 1/2hrs away..


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## sentrysam (Feb 28, 2010)

*Barbour/South Newport*

As for me,I live within walking distance of the Barbour and normally put my boat in 3 to 5 times a week,I have'nt caught many fish lately but I sure have'nt seen any dead ones floating either.This is between St.Cats and Blackbeard,the guys fishing off the bridge down here are catchin plenty,now i have seen that,then again,I cant catch'em off the dern bridge either but i see other folks doin'it.The Dolphins are still in the creeks,that tells me there is something there for them to eat,There's fish out there,i just can't catch'em ,..tight lines all and lets try and be civil to one another,I hate fishin with a p o'd fisherman out there,aint no fun at all.Maybe these people that open and close our life will use some common sense for a change.If they don't ,well,i'm still gonna fish,may just be for Southern Kingfish but i'll be out there..


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

not 1 word anywhere on the internet but 1 fly fisherman charter service says he sees a trout kill! 
im askin' the other fishing forums that i frequent if they have seen anything about this. ive emailed a couple of quides and await their reply..i will acknowledge their findings as stone but my personal insight on this is hobblely goop giddygiddy here kitty kitty...


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

mechdog, if i saw any fish dead in the water i'd be screaming about it but i havent and havent heard anything about it from 1 soul.


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## bouymarker (Feb 28, 2010)

http://www.nutsandboltsfishing.com/smf/index.php

Inshore water temperatures in the state of SC (Let us pray) 
« on: January 06, 2010, 10:32:44 PM »   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As many of you are aware inshore water temperatures in the state of South Carolina are getting critically low. Speckled trout mortalities have been reported this week in Swansboro, NC and we want to utilize every resources we have to monitor the situation in our state. 
  Below is a graph of temperatures measured by the USGS at the Customs House in Charleston as you can see, over the last week the temperature has continued to trend downward currently approaching 8.5 C (46.4 F).  Of course this is only a single point measurement and conditions along our coast could vary widely that is why I am contacting ya’ll.  
  The last significant speckled trout kill observed in our state was in winter 2000-2001 when water temperatures in Charleston got down to 6 C (42.8 F).  Thereafter, trout catch per unit effort in our inshore survey dropped precipitously and it took two years to begin rebound.  While our biological staff and law enforcement personnel continue to be vigilant and closely monitor the situation, any extra eyes and ears reporting pertinent observations would be helpful.  
  In the event of a kill we need to document the magnitude and extend of the kill.  If you observe dead fish either on the bottom or floating please provide the following to me including:  number of fish observed, species, location, date and time.  My contact information is below.  Thanks in advance for your assistance. 

Wallace Jenkins Program Coordinator  SCDNR
SC Governor's Cup Billfishing Series
phone 843-953-9835

http://www.nutsandboltsfishing.com/smf/index.php?topic=1349.0


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## Steve762us (Mar 1, 2010)

I went out between Cumberland and St. Simons, around the 20th of January--a few days after it seemed tolerably warm enough to go out.  I anchored near a crab pot line, and spoke to the crabber as he came by.  He stated "the bottom is carpeted with dead shrimp", that every one of his traps was loaded with dead shrimp.


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## PaulD (Mar 1, 2010)

Mechanicaldawg said:


> I spoke with several guides this weekend and they, to a man, said they've witnessed dead trout. Most of them seemed to think it was not severe though they did seem to think it would have a noticeable impact.
> 
> None of them were too concerned about the reds.
> 
> ...



You called and others witnessed. why would you devalue the eye sight accounts of others when you state to have only spoken?

Confidence is gained through history of actions and can be broken. Many had confidence in the CRD but that confidence has been broken recently by their neglect to look at things from a non-bias stand point and to act on data that has been halled to be inaccurate and misrepresenting by their piers.

Once again, the last sentence was obviously directed at me so allow me to address it. I advocated studies by the CRD and SAMFC and THEY were the ones that DID NOT WISH TO STUDY AND RESEARCH ANYMORE, after admitting their data was flawed and misrepresented. Instead they acted on it anyway. While the recreational fisherman of the recreational anglers begged in a futal effort for them to do more research. I harbor no grudge, nor to I appreciate your attemp to say I do. This is another issue and it will serve as more history to the recreational anglers of this state in how the CRD and it's leaders handle the issue. I do not appreciate your sideways attach at me in this statement.


If dead shrimp, fish and birds were washing up on the beaches of major communities don't you think that the press would be all over it as the home owners would complain on the conditions? It was done in Florida, and with VERY VERY good reason. In addition the FWC reacted to the severe state of their fisheries in a quick and appropriate manor. Georgia is not in the same situation. 

Weather has cycles, the ocean has cycles and life has cycles. It was going on before man entered the picture and will go on long after man leaves the picture. This is a cycle, a cycle in which man needs not interfear. Government has no place in this and it is little more than an attemp to close creel limits further. Which per our head of the CRD is something that needs to be looked at anyway.


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## sea trout (Mar 1, 2010)

confusin us newbies!
good thread guys. opening my eyes that theres more to the coast than just fishing! i got my gon in the mail read the artical and was concerned.....read this post now i'm like what the heck!!
i live 4 hrs away and havn't SEEN nothin, i hope very much for the best outcome and that i can go fishing this spring.
i strongly agree with an above statement that nature has it cycles...always have always will. 
i also beleive that ! MODERN ! man may have a very little impact on a cycle such as this. if there are dead froze fish, and its TRUE!! 
REAL DEAD FISH??? seems to the learning man like me that an almost freezing fish would find warmer water. like go deeper or find warmed mud.
 It would be nice to know the truth. i beleive the men and women who are on the water everyday and have been there for years knows the most of this situation.
 if there TRUELY HAS been a major fish kill, can modern man (rec fishers and/or commercial fishers) make a difference on the natural rebound cycle????


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## PaulD (Mar 1, 2010)

Any fish or birds? I know we lost some shrimp from talking to a crabber as well but nothing about fish.
We'll see in the spring. Time will tell the true tail.


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## wharfrat (Mar 1, 2010)

pretty common for the white shrimp to take a hit when the water temps get down around 46. I wonder during these times when they begin to die do the predators have a field day. (redfish, trout and other species)


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## bouymarker (Mar 1, 2010)

i talked with a guide and a crabber this morning. the guide said he went out 18days in january and didnt see one dead trout. the crabber says he heard of a few dead trout, nothing much..


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## sea trout (Mar 2, 2010)

wharfrat said:


> pretty common for the white shrimp to take a hit when the water temps get down around 46. I wonder during these times when they begin to die do the predators have a field day. (redfish, trout and other species)



first off i'm admitting that i don't KNOW anything. this thread is interesting to me and i'd like to join in for my education for the future.
what wharfrat said......if shrimp died, (wich SEEMS in obvious agreement), but other species were not killed, (aside from a few trout MAYBE), then this situation may be beneficial!!???
i'm kinda thinking out loud and asking
would scavenger/forageing species eat all they can???


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## jamrens (Mar 2, 2010)

Richie you know that pencil pushers know more about the Ga fishery that actual Charter captns


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## huckleberrybo (Mar 3, 2010)

you guys are to much i'm glad i fish the gulf  although its been cold ,i have not seen or heard of any fish or shrimp kill . i am sure some have gone unnoticed but mother nature does what she does and the fish deal with it. sit back relax oil the rods and we'll stink the grease come spring


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## Steve762us (Mar 4, 2010)

huckleberrybo said:


> you guys are to much i'm glad i fish the gulf  although its been cold ,i have not seen or heard of any fish or shrimp kill .



Possibly due to the Gulf area not experiencing the same cold temps, that we did.


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## K-DAWG XB 2003 (Mar 11, 2010)

I havent heard a thing about a fish kill or seen any floating fish and my office is about 100 yards from the intercoastal waterway. Now, shrimp if there on the bottom you cant see them. I havent heard of any washing up anywhere around here either. Got a buddy who has been fishing alot the past few weeks and they are flat hammer'in the sheephead.


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