When she heard Medard Reservoir would be drained, she first thought of the displaced, hungry gators she assumed would be searching for food.
Then she thought of the dead, stinking fish that would be left behind and the calls from constituents that would pour into her office.
Then state Sen. Ronda Storms had an epiphany.
Feed the fish to the hungry.
The plan came together Friday, when Storms, members of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Southwest Florida Water Management District delivered some 1,000 pounds of tilapia and catfish fillets to America's Second Harvest.
Staff for the food bank clearinghouse made some quick calls. The chef for Metropolitan Ministries and staff from the First Baptist Church of Gibsonton came to get the fresh fillets.
Second Harvest got enough fish to feed about 700, estimated Marc Sutherland, the group's resource development director.
"They brought us nine 50-pound boxes of fillets and they went out almost immediately," Sutherland said. "It was great. Of course, protein - fish - a nutritious product like that was a real blessing."
Storms said she was thrilled with the outcome.
"It would have been a shame to let all those fish go bad when people are so hungry," Storms said.
The reservoir, on Turkey Creek Road, east of Brandon and south of Plant City, is one of Hillsborough County's most popular county parks.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District has already begun working to repair an aging dam. The reservoir had to be drained before work could begin.
FWC employees retrieved the fish from the lake and two local hunt clubs - Safari Club and Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry - paid to have the fish filleted.
FWC Spokesman Gary Morse said the harvest and charitable donation will continue each Wednesday for the next month.
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