Hunter Henley Named TWRA Fisheries Biologist of the Year

NASHVILLE — Hunter Henley has been named as the 2007 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Fisheries Biologist of the Year. Henley received the award at the November meeting of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission.

Henley began his career with TWRA in the Region 1 stream survey crew in 1996.  In 1997, he was promoted to Manager of the Humboldt Fish Hatchery in West Tennessee.

After he became the Humboldt Hatchery manager, he immediately started to improve the ability of Humboldt Hatchery to once again become an integral part of the statewide hatchery system.  His ideas improved the total fish yield of the hatchery from the very first year.  His “can do” attitude infected the others at the hatchery that more could be done at this facility.  Thus began the “silent” expansion of Humboldt Hatchery and over the next three years Henley and the hatchery crew installed five new production ponds, using funds that were for the everyday operation of the hatchery and at no additional cost to TWRA.

Realizing that with the right equipment additional ponds could be built relatively inexpensively, Hunter began to inquire about purchasing additional land near the existing hatchery to expand the facility and in March 2007, 30 acres were purchased for the expansion project.  His first year goal was to build four ponds and a reservoir, but as of this month, the crew had already built seven ponds and the water supply reservoir.  His new goal is to have the entire hatchery of 20 production ponds completed by the end of 2008, three years ahead of schedule.  In addition to his duties with the hatchery, Henley is also responsible for the management of Davy Crockett and Gibson County Lakes.