Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sport Fish Alabama Bass topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
TWRA proposes sport-fish rule changes to curb Alabama bass spread; several reservoirs targeted
Summary
TWRA fisheries staff proposed amendments in Sport Fish Proclamation 25-02 to address the spread of introduced Alabama bass and to simplify or adjust creel and length limits on multiple reservoirs; the fisheries committee voted to refer the proclamation to the full commission.
Fisheries staff for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency on Feb. 20 presented proposed changes in Sport Fish Proclamation 25‑02 aimed at slowing the spread of nonnative Alabama bass and simplifying black bass regulations on multiple reservoirs. The fisheries committee voted to refer the proposed proclamation to the full commission.
Chief Jason Haniger described Alabama bass as an emerging management challenge in the Tennessee River system and said the species—recognized as a distinct species in 2008—has been introduced into multiple reservoirs and hybridizes with native spotted and smallmouth bass. “If we don't stop the stocking illegal stocking of Alabama bass in our other reservoirs, we will lose smallmouth bass in the state of Tennessee,” Haniger said, citing hybridization and identification challenges.
Key recommended changes in the agency presentation included:
- Parksville Reservoir: apply a combined 5‑fish creel limit with a 15‑inch minimum for largemouth, smallmouth, spotted bass, Alabama bass and hybrids; prohibit live transport of any black bass species away from Parksville to reduce human‑mediated spread.
- Chickamauga, Nickajack and Guntersville reservoirs: combine existing variations into a five‑fish creel limit in combination with a 15‑inch minimum for largemouth and a no‑minimum approach for small hybrids, with at most one fish over 16 inches per day to protect larger quality fish.
- Chilhowee, Fort Loudoun, Tellico, Watts Bar and Pickwick reservoirs: simplify disparate regulations into a statewide black bass 5‑fish creel, 15‑inch minimum limit to ease identification and enforcement.
- Tellico River: move back to the statewide five‑fish combination creel with no minimum length, after agency exploitation studies showed the prior trophy regulation was not being met.
- Marion County (Halford) and Davy Crockett Lake: adjustments to creel and size limits based on population responses and recent stocking programs; Maribone Lake to move to a 10‑fish daily creel with no minimum because the facility is not meeting prior goals.
Haniger said the agency ran a public comment period that drew 61 comments on the black bass proposals; 74% were supportive or neutral while 16 commenters opposed the changes. Overall user satisfaction among respondents averaged about 3.9 on a 1–5 scale, Haniger said.
Fisheries committee members did not raise substantive objections during the presentation. A motion to advance Sport Fish Proclamation 25‑02 out of fisheries to the full commission was made and seconded, and the committee approved the referral by voice vote.
Next steps: TWRA staff will present the final proclamation language and supporting analyses to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission at its plenary session for final action. The agency said enforcement and angler education will be important if rules that combine species or change creel/length limits are adopted to minimize confusion during identification.
Votes at a glance: Fisheries committee — motion to refer Proclamation 25‑02 to full commission: adopted by voice vote; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the committee minutes.
