Cold weather has resulted in fish dying in rivers and streams all over the southeast, including local waters.

Commercial waterman Robert Minor of Gwynn’s Island, said he first noticed a problem on Sunday, Jan. 19, when he left the dock in Edwards Creek. Puppy drum had been cold-stunned and were going upside-down in the water, with their gills going back and forth, he said. Then on Friday, Jan. 24, at least 200 fish were dead in the bottom of the creek. He could see them at a depth of around five feet, he said, but visibility got worse as the water deepened, and although he couldn’t see that deep, he believed there were more.

This past Sunday, Minor went to check his oyster beds in Stoakes Creek, but the creek was frozen. He said he felt sure there were fish frozen in the ice because an eagle was sitting on the ice near some gulls, which were pecking the ice as though trying to get to the fish. He said there were several red drum on Rigby Island that had been eaten on by seagulls and raccoons.

On Monday, Minor was near Lane’s Creek at Cricket Hill and saw more dead fish, this time taking pictures. He said the fish were anywhere from one to six pounds.

“I wouldn’t doubt if every creek around doesn’t have some in it,” he said. “I swear they’re everywhere.”

Minor said he remembered similar kills occurring six or seven years ago, when the Piankatank River “froze up pretty good.” At that time, he said, “tractor-trailer loads” of speckled trout died from the bitter cold.

“Let it get cold and it kills millions,” said Minor. “The VMRC won’t let people take them even if they’re getting ready to die.”