[Killietalk] Redirect -- Improving the AKA -- Shipping fish

["Koran, David HQ02" <David_Koran at hq02.usace.army.mil>]

I have tried to use this forum to discover what are problems and perceived
problems.  During the next few days I hope to read and analyze many of the
posts that have been flying by but one issue that has bugged me endlessly is
the lack of use of AKA sponsored media to list killifish availability to our
members.  What I read, at least in my book, is a cop out.

Since I first joined the AKA over 30 years ago the cost of shipping fish,
basic shipping, is still very small.  Attempting to use postage as an excuse
for not shipping fish is the wrong excuse.  If you look way back when you
would expect to pay $1.50 for a pair of fish for postage, then maybe add a
quarter per pair after that.  However, check the prices on fish back then.
Average killie prices were $3-$5 a pair.  So if you purchased say 3 pair of
fish from someone, figure you spent about $15, maybe $12-13 on the fish and
$2 on postage -- first class or priority mail at that.  If you shipped "air
mail" it was more but you already knew that if you were shipping more than
say 1500 miles the package usually went via air mail so you skipped the
expense.  I seem to recall you could also purchase for less than $2 something
like "Special Delivery" which supposedly expedited the shipment.

So lets move ahead 30 years for all of you tightwads.  $10 for a pair of
killies is deemed cheap these days so you are looking at probably $30 for
those same 3 pairs of killies.  So you should be looking at about $5 for 1st
class or priority mail shipping.  I know I can still mail a box of fish for
that amount.  Maybe you don't know how to ship fish or is it we have lost the
art of shipping fish?

In the last 2 years I have shipped fish to Europe.  I have shipped small
packages with at most 6 pairs per box.  These where boxes of 8" x 8" x 8"
including insulation and I didn't use breathable bags.  No, not all fish made
it but 90% or more usually did, even though most often they were in transit
at least 5 days and maybe up to 8.  No heat packs used, no drugging, no pure
oxygen, etc.  Killies are tough fish, stop treating them like you are
shipping porcelain.  I was also able to ship most boxes for under $20 a box.

Second, take some time to think about your shipping route.  If you drive the
Interstate highways for any distance you are bound to run across semis
carting the mail.  For most mail, it goes by truck.  Look at the back of the
truck, you will see the route it takes.  There is a normal back and forth
trip.  The guy who has one of the contracts will lug mail from say Pittsburgh
to St. Louis and then back so you are talking maybe 700 miles each way,
probably a one day trip each time.  Next, look at your zip codes.  Notice
that when your last two digits are 01 or at least less than 10 you are
probably looking at the regional postal center, or the point from where the
trucks depart from or arrive.  Your package is sorted at the regional center
and put on a truck I am sure within 8 hours after you post it at the counter
and there is a good bet it is at the central postal center of the recipient
24 hours later if it is traveling 500 miles or less (or maybe even more
distant)(well maybe for larger city locations).  Break this down more for
smaller regions.  So what is your risk?  Mainly, the exposure period to
outside temperature and for how long -- you simply don't ship when you know
fish will be exposed to temperatures below 40 or above 90 for more than say
4-6 hours.  But remember, the fish are in bags with water (some thermal
mass), you boxed them with some material to reduce heat transport, they are
in with other mail-paper does have insulating properties-and they are inside
of a trailer, a little more resistance to heat exchange.

For fish shipped by normal 1st class postage, I don't think this process has
changed in 30 years, we just perceive that it has gotten worse.

Now for a revolutionary concept--rent a P.O. Box at the post office.  I don't
think my PO's are different than yours.  In my area they have sets of lockers
in the box section.  If a package doesn't fit in your little box, meaning all
fish boxes!!, they place them in a locker and put the key in your box.
Hence, I have 24 hour access to shipments I receive and they are placed in
the lockers after initial sorting -- and here's the best part, they are kept
at climate controlled conditions!  True, that costs me $48 a year but I don't
have fish sitting on my porch or in my mailbox at home when it is roasting or
freezing outside.  That also means receiving fish sent 1st class with
virtually no losses in over 10 years so I make up here for the box rental fee
instead of paying for express mail.  It also helps that this is the main P.O.
in the region and it handles zipcodes 01-09.

So, if I am able to debunk the argument that shipping fish costs too much,
now why aren't they advertised for sale more often?

Dave K  

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