Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

FY 2022-23 Annual report

Committed to

Conservation

Contents

Agency Leadership

Lakes & Reservoirs

Bill Dance Signature Lakes

Fisheries

Habitat Conservation

Wildlife Management

Migratory Birds

Outdoor Recreation

Biodiversity

Law Enforcement

Education & Outreach

Communications

Sales & Financials

Regional Offices:

West TN

200 Lowell Thomas Drive, Jackson, TN 38301

Phone: 731-423-5725

MIDDLE TN

5105 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211

Phone: 615-781-6622

CUMBERLAND PLATEAU

464 Industrial Blvd., Crossville, TN 38555

Phone: 931-484-9571

EAST TN

3030 Wildlife Way, Morristown, TN 37814

Phone: 423-587-7037

Letter from the Executive Director

Agency Leadership

Jason Maxedon

Executive Director

Torrey Grimes

General Counsel

Brandon Wear

Deputy Director

Field Operations

Emily Buck

Communications

Frank Fiss

Deputy Director

Business Operations

Mike Bell

Legislative Affairs

Randi Tarpy

Human Resources

Jason Henegar

Fisheries

Col. Darren Rider

Boating & Law Enforcement

Josh Campbell

Biodiversity

Susie Crist

Licensing

Jay McClellan

Engineering

Joe Benedict

Wildlife & Forestry

Tim Churchill

Federal Aid & Real Estate

Ken Tarkington

Budget & Procurement

Dennis Saucerman

Accounting

Don King

Multimedia

Scott Denton

Information Technology

Tommy Woods

Chairman

District 1

Jimmy Granbery

Vice Chair

District 5

Chris Devaney

Secretary

District 4

Kent Woods

District 2

Rhonda Moody

District 3

Stan Butt Sr.

District 6

Monte Belew

District 7

Brad Box

District 8

Dr. Hank Wright

District 9

Wally Childress

Statewide

Bill Cox

Statewide

Greg Davenport

Statewide

Chip Saltsman

Statewide

Lakes, Reservoirs, and Fishing Across Tennessee

West Tennessee Reservoirs:

Anglers fished an estimated 1,259,465 hours and made 187,317 fishing trips on Kentucky, Barkley, and Pickwick reservoirs and Reelfoot Lake in FY23. Black bass, crappie, and catfish were the three most sought after species. Economic data showed total trip expenditures were $8,173,500 and anglers were willing to expend an additional $3,966,090 to fish these four bodies of water.

Old Hickory Reservoir:

Anglers spent 518,000 hours and made 107,000 trips to fish Old Hickory Reservoir this year. To continue supporting anglers, TWRA was awarded a $121,100 fish habitat improvement grant from Bass Pro Shops in FY23. Since impoundment of the reservoir in 1954, woody habitat has undergone a constant decay, resulting in less fish habitat as time passes. To help combat the reservoir aging process and improve fishing opportunities for anglers, reservoir managers added 32 new fish habitat areas to the downstream portion of the reservoir between the dam and Shutes Branch Recreation Area.

Cordell Hull Reservoir:

TWRA inventoried fish attractor sites on Cordell Hull Reservoir and replaced anchors at each site if existing ones were damaged, installed new hardware, and placed new buoys where needed. The TWRA reservoir crew then partnered with Jackson County High School to build habitat structures for Cordell Hull Reservoir. A total of 400 stake buckets and 25 Shelbyville cubes were constructed by the school shop class, and these structures were placed at 10 fish attractor sites and 12 unmarked locations on Cordell Hull.

Watts Bar Reservoir:

TWRA accepted a $10,000 donation for Watts Bar Reservoir at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville from Skeeter Boats, Yamaha, and Madisonville Marine. All stocking sites on Watts Bar Reservoir have block and pipe structures (about 20 at each site) for fingerling fish habitat.

Lake Halford:

At the start of FY23, TWRA was given management of Carroll County 1,000 Acre Lake from the Carroll County Watershed Authority. During the transition, the Tennessee General Assembly renamed it Lake Halford. Throughout the course of the year, TWRA hired three staffers to manage the lake, made infrastructure improvements to the property, and established additional permitting and budget requirements needed for management. To support the quality of the fishery, sampling was conducted, 250 habitat structures were added, and approximately 75,000 forage fish were stocked.

J. Percy Priest Reservoir:

J. Percy Priest Reservoir provides a variety of fishing opportunities. Anglers spent a total of 452,000 hours and made 82,000 trips fishing J. Percy Priest Reservoir. Targeted fishing efforts for crappie and largemouth bass were most popular followed by hybrid striped bass.

Kids Fishing Events:

Many avid anglers fondly remember a time from their youth when a parent or grandparent took them fishing for the first time. To support young people and help recruit new families to outdoor recreation, TWRA helps stock youth fishing events and community fishing lakes statewide. In FY23, approximately 55,000 pounds of channel catfish were stocked in 82 waterbodies statewide. Youth fishing events were held at 78 of the stocked waterbodies and an estimated 11,500 youth participated. Approximately 70 percent of the youth caught at least one fish, and these waterbodies continued to provide fishing opportunities for months after the event.

Ten large reservoirs feature Bill Dance Signature Lake access points constructed to a standard of excellence endorsed and designed by Bill Dance Outdoors in collaboration with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. These ten reservoirs include “Bill Dance Signature Lake access areas” with new or improved assets driving economic activity year-round for communities. In addition, eight “small venue” lakes entice anglers of all ages to enjoy the outdoors and a high-quality fishing experience.

In 2019, TWRA committed to a $6 million investment. Projects included six large ramps at $300,000 each. Since then, TWRA has renovated and made investments at several of the lakes, so Tennesseans can benefit from improved facilities and enhanced habitat and fisheries management. Improvements for fishing and boating have included the construction and installation of over a thousand fish attractors, ramp development, water level adjustments to allow for dredging, and infrastructure work on ramps, parking lots, signage, restrooms and more. While inflation limited the reach of the budget, TWRA is still expecting to spend $6.3 million by the end of 2024 for improvements at Bill Dance Signature Lakes across the state.

TWRA Fish Management Work - 3 Year Projection

This habitat work is being done on the 8 small lakes on the Bill Dance Signature Lakes to intensively manage these waters at a higher standard to produce quality bass fishing or family fishing with bluegill and catfish, or a high catch rate for first time fishing experiences with trout, bluegill, and catfish.

Joint Agency Engineering Work - 3 Year Projection

TWRA and TDEC are working both independently and jointly on infrastructure projects to install or upgrade boat ramps, courtesy docks, fishing docks, parking, fish feeders, restrooms, signage, picnic tables, fish cleaning stations, and more.

MANAGING FISH HABITAT AND POPULATIONS

Tennessee is home to 32 large reservoirs, three major river systems, thousands of miles of tributary rivers and streams, and dozens of smaller family fishing lakes managed by TWRA. As a state with a diversity of habitats, stretching from the cold mountain streams in the east, all the way to the Mississippi River, Tennessee has become known for trophy bass, trout, catfish, muskellunge, striped bass, and more.

Agency fisheries staff manage some fisheries by stocking from hatcheries. Nearly nine million fish are stocked each year - from fry to fingerlings, brood fish and trophies - including several species of game and non-game fish. This effort is led by TWRA biologists who monitor fish populations, angler success, and habitats to maintain the state's fisheries.

HUMBOLDT FISH HATCHERY PRODUCTION AND OUTSTANDING STAFF

Humboldt Fish Hatchery is TWRA’s largest warmwater hatchery with 43 production ponds and three water supply reservoirs. Over the course of the fiscal year, Humbolt Hatchery produced 1,018,231 fingerlings to meet fish stocking demands in Tennessee. The hatchery produced several species including walleye, Florida largemouth bass, blacknose crappie, blue catfish, channel catfish, and bluegill sunfish.

This year, the TWRA Fisheries Division recognized two Humboldt Hatchery employees with awards for outstanding service. Tom Pratt, the hatchery’s manager, is the Fisheries Biologist of the Year and Brandon Harrison is the Fisheries Technician of the Year.

Tom has been with TWRA since 2006 and has positively influenced fisheries throughout the state. He spent over two years as a technician at Humboldt Hatchery before promoting to the manager level. His accomplishments at the hatchery have been instrumental in developing innovative fish culture techniques and improving production of hatchery reared species. His ability to hold fish, such as trout for the winter trout program and catfish for fishing events, ensures anglers will experience quality fishing at stocked locations. In addition to his hatchery duties, Tom manages Davey Crockett Lake, and this year took on the management of Gibson County Lake.

Humboldt Hatchery is the TWRA’s source for Florida largemouth bass. This year a difference was seen in spawning activity in the Florida bass at the hatchery and there was concern that the spawning season would be shortened, which would affect fish production. Tom and his staff were able to extend the spawning process by three weeks to meet statewide Florida bass fry demand. Surplus Florida largemouth bass fingerlings were produced for the third year in a row, which exceeded reservoir stocking requests and provided fingerlings for a first-time stocking at Pickwick Lake.

Brandon began working for the Agency in 2007 where he played a key role constructing Annex I and II. These efforts helped make Humboldt Hatchery the largest hatchery in the state and contributed to providing more than one million fish stocked statewide. Brandon adapted quickly to operating heavy equipment which allowed project completion, and he has taken an interest in all aspects of production at Humboldt Hatchery. He has also been instrumental in training new employees in the intricacies of fish production at Humboldt Hatchery.

Photo: (Front Row) TFWC Chairman Tommy Woods, Tom Pratt, Brandon Harrison, Hunter Henley, and Fisheries Lifetime Achievement winner Bart Carter.

(Back row) Deputy Director Frank Fiss, Chief Mark Thurman, Fisheries Lifetime Achievement winner Tim Broadbent, Travis Scott, Todd St. John, and Jason Henegar.

Tennessee Trout Hatcheries

Erwin State Fish Hatchery:

Erwin State Fish Hatchery starts its typical production cycle with five-inch rainbow trout in June. Trout are grown for up to 18 months until they are ready for stocking in nearby streams. Adult rainbow trout stocking typically begins in February and continues through July, with fish delivered to about 28 waters in Cocke, Greene, Carter, Unicoi, Johnson, and Sullivan Counties. Annually, more than 70,000 adult rainbow trout are delivered. This year, hatchery staff acquired 10,000 West Virginia golden trout eggs from the Petersburg, West Virginia Hatchery to diversify trout fishing opportunities in upper East Tennessee. Approximately 64 West Virginia golden trout, also known as Palomino trout, were stocked in East Tennessee streams and reservoirs in FY23. Additional Palominos were held at the hatchery to continue production for spring 2024 stockings. The agency also recently acquired the half-acre property containing the springs that are Erwin Hatchery’s water source to protect this resource.

Buffalo Springs Hatchery:

Each year, Buffalo Springs Hatchery obtains nearly 800,000 rainbow trout eggs from the Erwin National Fish Hatchery and Mantua Hatchery in Utah. This year, Buffalo Springs distributed 148,087 adult and fingerling rainbow trout to support fisheries in 20 East Tennessee streams during the spring and fall, as well as the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Norris and Cherokee tailwaters and South Holston and Watauga reservoirs. Adult rainbow trout are also provided annually for three Winter Trout Program waters, as well as special events for kids and other outreach groups such as Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery. Trout eggs are also provided to Trout Unlimited for distribution to area schools that have ‘Trout in the Classroom’ programs.

Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery:

TWRA works collaboratively with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to produce and distribute 100,000 pounds of trout from the Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery. The hatchery also supports recreation opportunities and offers an aquarium, visitor center, displays, and paved walking paths. The hatchery public fishing area, featuring an accessible pier, is stocked with rainbow trout on a weekly basis.

Flintville Hatchery:

Flintville Hatchery distributed 161,614 rainbow and brook trout for stockings in FY23. During the winter stocking season, Flintville fish were stocked in 22 counties including Bedford, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Gibson, Hardeman, Henderson, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Obion, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Tipton, Van Buren, Weakley, and Williamson. During the spring, an additional 34 streams in 18 counties were stocked.

Native Brook Trout Restoration Program

The brook trout is the only trout species native to Tennessee. Historically, they once occupied all coldwater habitat in East Tennessee, but today, it is down to just 25 percent. Most of the distribution loss occurred during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as habitat alteration threatened populations. Currently, Tennessee is home to 147 miles of brook trout streams outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Approximately 70 percent of habitat can be found in the Cherokee National Forest, while another 30 percent is on private lands.

Tennessee brook trout restoration work began in the early 1980s, and the most recent statewide trout management plan is in effect through 2027. Focus areas of the plan include assessment; habitat protection, restoration and enhancement; and public outreach.

Assessment:

TWRA biologists assessed the current population of native brook trout by completing a genetics inventory. Research found 76 percent of populations were true native brook trout unaffected by historic stocking. Another eight percent were hatchery influenced populations, and 15 percent were directly related to hatchery produced trout from the Northeast which are genetically different from native species. Results have been critical for directing additional management work, including identifying potential donor populations to support restocking efforts.

Habitat Protection:

TWRA identified 81 total populations of native brook trout spread out in several watersheds including the Watauga, South Holston, Little Tennessee, French Broad, and Nolichucky. Identification of these areas and the size of populations they support allows biologists to target critical habitat work.

Restoration and Enhancement:

The primary goal of TWRA trout biologists is to increase native brook trout distribution by 15 stream miles by 2027 and to restore trout where populations have been lost. Projects include removing wild rainbow trout which compete with native brook trout. Once rainbow trout are removed, native brook trout can then be moved into streams that have been identified as quality habitat. Standard restoration projects typically require moving 200-300 fish per mile of stream for the new population to be successful.

When donor streams do not have large enough populations to support moving that many fish, the agency uses propagation as a tool for species recovery. This work primarily occurs at the Tellico Brook Trout Hatchery and the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. Since 2017, TWRA has successfully restored almost 11 miles of native brook trout streams which represents the completion of 82 percent of the 2027 goal.

Fighting Invasive Aquatic Species

Aquatic invasive species pose an ongoing threat to the environment, economy, recreation, and human health. These species are a direct driver of biodiversity loss, hinder economic development, spread disease, decrease the aesthetic value of nature, and prevent recreational activities. Aquatic invasive species can also kill large numbers of native species. They may prey upon them, compete with them for food and space, interbreed with them, or introduce harmful pathogens and parasites.

Zebra Mussels:

Zebra mussels can filter important plankton out of the water, which are a necessary part of the food chain that supports other native species. Zebra mussels also attach to boat motors and boat hulls, reducing performance and efficiency. The sharp shells cover rocks, swim rafts, and ladders – creating a safety hazard to unprotected feet.

Alabama Bass:

As many states in the southeast are realizing, the introduction of Alabama bass outside its native range can be devastating. Alabama bass have recently been detected in Tennessee waters and can impact popular species like largemouth or smallmouth bass. In other states where they were introduced, Alabama bass populations developed quickly and for a short period of time produced some large fish. However, this rapidly changed as the population increased and became overcrowded, resulting in high numbers of small fish.

Do Not Move Bass! In order to be successful at stopping the spread of Alabama bass, the responsibility lies among those who transport live fish away from the water where they are caught. In most instances, those fish are used as food, but in some cases might be released into other water bodies. Always remember that it is illegal to intentionally release live fish into any public water in Tennessee away from where they were harvested. Alabama bass are very difficult to distinguish from spotted bass; observations of illegal stocking should be reported to your local TWRA Regional Office.

Invasive Carp Management:

There are four species of invasive carp in Tennessee: bighead carp, silver carp, black carp, and grass carp. These species were first found in the Mississippi River and migrated into Tennessee waters via locks at Kentucky and Barkley dams. Invasive carp compete with native fish species and are destructive to aquatic vegetation.

The management of invasive carp is a national effort. TWRA works with experts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Valley Authority, Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other state agencies to develop and implement extensive strategies for planning, monitoring, and research. TWRA policy is based on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Management and Control Plan for Bighead, Black, Grass, and Silver Carps in the United States strategic plan. The plan was developed by the Invasive Carp Working Group of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force and is built around seven core goals that are operationalized through 48 step-down strategies and 131 recommendations to manage and control invasive carp. All funding for management actions is authorized through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with oversite from the Invasive Carp Advisory Committee.

Monitoring and Research:

Each year, TWRA fisheries staff conduct extensive sampling to monitor invasive carp, including seasonal gillnetting, electrofishing, electrified dozer trawls, and commercial market surveys.

TWRA also partnered with Tennessee Tech University to monitor population characteristics of invasive carp in Kentucky, Pickwick, Barkley, and Cheatham reservoirs and tracking movement within the sub-basin. Combined amongst state and federal partners, more than 1,400 silver carp have acoustic tags in the Tennessee and Cumberland River Basin, and stationary receivers have been maintained at dams throughout the year.

TWRA also collects larval stage fish annually to monitor for carp spawning success. Since this tracking started in 2016, no evidence of successful carp spawning has been found in the Tennessee or Cumberland River systems.

Invasive Carp Removal:

TWRA continued to implement the Tennessee Carp Harvest Incentive Program (TCHIP). This year, 23 commercial fishermen were signed up for the TCHIP program through contracted wholesale fish dealers. Wholesale dealers then purchased 8.1 million pounds of carp from commercial fishermen. Since the program was founded in 2018, nearly 30 million pounds of invasive carp have been removed from Tennessee waterways.

Photo: Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator Cole Harty captures a silver carp for research.

15.

Photo: Tracye Simmon

Bobwhite Quail

Tennessee Land Management

Across the state, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency manages more than one million acres of land to provide high quality habitat to support both game and non-game wildlife species. Staff manage a diverse range of habitat types including wetlands, grasslands, forests, and early successional habitat. This diversity ensures wildlife species are supported from birth to maturity. Tennessee citizens also benefit from TWRA’s land management work. WMAs provide an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in a wide array of activities including hunting, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, camping, and more.

Acres of TWRA Managed Land in FY23

Prescribed Fire for Land Management:

Many wildlife organizations use prescribed fire as a habitat management tool. Prescribed fire mimics naturally occurring fires on the landscape which encourages new growth of native vegetation, increases the biodiversity of plant species, minimizes the spread of pest insects and disease, and recycles nutrients back into the soil. Prescribed fire also improves wildlife habitat for both game and non-game species, especially areas left for nesting and cover.

TWRA has partnered with the University of Tennessee for nearly a decade to establish a fire demonstration area at Bridgestone-Firestone WMA. The area allows students and the public to see the benefits of prescribed fire as vegetation regrows.

Statewide Prescribed Fire in FY23: 25,156 acres

Forestry Management:

TWRA foresters and biologists follow best practices for forest management to maximize wildlife habitat and ensure the health of Tennessee forests for generations to come. With over 18,000 acres of forestland actively managed in FY23, the agency was able to complete several key projects across the state.

Restoring West Tennessee Bottomlands:

In West Tennessee, land managers work to support wetlands with reforestation. This year, TWRA was awarded $23,544 for the purchase of more than 52,000 high quality oak seedlings from East Tennessee State Nursery which were planted on the 160-acre Middle Fork Project. An additional 40 acres were planted at West Sandy WMA. To ensure high quality genetics for seedlings, 772 pounds of hard mast acorns were sent back to the East Tennessee State Nursery for future reforestation projects. Work was also completed to promote healthy forests including the removal of woody stems from mature fields at Tumbleweed WMA and Horns Bluff Refuge to create early successional habitat. Staff also completed prescribed burns at Tumbleweed, Bogota, and Shelby Forest WMAs.

Catoosa Wildlife Management Area:

Forestry work at Catoosa WMA was designed to increase the quality and quantity of deer, turkey, and other wildlife habitat. The project included a thorough forest inventory of nearly 4,000 acres. Natural regeneration took place on 512 acres and 35 acres were planted. Prescribed burns took place on 290 acres in six compartments, and crop tree release occurred on 99 acres.

North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area:

Another priority for TWRA biologists was increasing the quality and quantity of habitat for ruffed grouse, turkey, and other wildlife at the North Cumberland and Cove Creek Wildlife Management Areas. Forest management took place on a total of 3,968 acres including timber sales valued at $134,315. During this fiscal year, TWRA adopted the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Forestry Division’s procedure for timber sales across the state. This ensures a consistent and transparent approach to timber sales across all government agencies. Proceeds from timber sales are reinvested in future habitat and forestry work as a sustainable funding model for wildlife conservation.

Forest Growth Stages and Wildlife Habitat:

Grass, shrubs, saplings, young and old forests all provide different types of cover and habitat for wildlife. Over time, open grasslands can be lost to densely packed forests, and biodiversity will be lost if wildlife managers do not intervene. TWRA biologists across the state are focused on restoring “Early Successional” habitat by removing trees to create open grasslands with shrub cover for wildlife nesting and forage.