Stop the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are species outside their native range that can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems, the economy, and/or human health.
AIS Alert: Alabama Bass
Alabama Bass are an invasive species causing major problems in Tennessee waters. They compete with native species and readily hybridize with native Smallmouth and Spotted Bass. Because of their tendency to hybridize and their similarity in appearance with native bass, accurate identification by anglers and biologists alike is difficult, often requiring genetic analysis. As a result, TWRA has recently had to change regulations in waters where these fish are present.
Alabama Bass have been illegally introduced into the Tennessee River system and are now present in waters including Ft. Loudoun, Tellico, Watts Bar, Chickamauga, Nickajack, Pickwick, and Kentucky reservoirs. These fish pose a massive threat to our treasured native bass populations and the economies associated with them. Help prevent further spread of this species in Tennessee. Please DO NOT MOVE BASS! It is illegal to stock fish in Tennessee’s public waters. Fish should not be released live into Tennessee waters away from where they were captured. Report any illegal stocking activities to your regional poaching hotline.
AIS Alert: Silver Carp
TWRA first detected substantial numbers of Silver Carp in the Mississippi River in the early 2000s. Today, Silver Carp are abundant in reservoirs on the lower Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. They are most widespread in Kentucky and Barkley reservoirs and their tributaries, but a few fish have spread through locks and been reported as far upstream as Chickamauga Reservoir on the Tennessee River and up the Cumberland River to Cordell Hull Reservoir.
The expansion of these carp into Tennessee waters is of great concern to TWRA. At high abundance, Silver Carp pose a serious threat to fishing and boating. These fish compete for the same resources as our favorite sport and commercial fish and can cause injury by jumping from the water and colliding with boaters. TWRA is working closely with federal and state partners, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the states of Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alabama, to control the abundance and spread of carp. Ongoing efforts include harvest incentives through Tennessee’s commercial fishing program, support for implementing deterrents at priority locations, research into carp movement and behavior patterns, and education.
