PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - In normal years, Wednesday would mark the start of snook fishing season in the warm waters off south Florida.

But a major January freeze prompted state wildlife officials to close snook fishing after thousands of the popular sport fish died in the unusually cold waters.

Florida's Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider opening the snook fishing season in some areas during a regularly scheduled meeting on Pensacola Beach Thursday.

Tour guides in Everglades National Park say thousands of the fish died after water temperatures there hovered around 50 degrees for about a week. The fish have been scarce since.