Commercial Fishers Reach 25 Million-Pound Mark in Carp Removal Program

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Tennessee Carp Harvest Incentive Program (TCHIP) has reached a milestone in June with 25,281,993 pounds of invasive carp removed from Kentucky, Barkley, Cheatham, Old Hickory, and Pickwick reservoirs.

The program began in September 2018 and provides incentives to wholesale fish dealers and commercial fishers that harvest invasive carp. “Partnerships with the commercial fishing industry are a key strategy in the state’s ongoing efforts to remove invasive carp and prevent their spread in Tennessee,” said Eric Ganus, TWRA Commercial Fishing Coordinator.

 “While commercial harvest is the primary approach to defend our waters from the impacts and expansion of invasive carp, another key strategy to prevent the spread of invasive carp to upstream waters is deterrents.” said Cole Harty, TWRA Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator.

TWRA continues to support the implementation and evaluation of the BioAcoustic Fish Fence (BAFF) at Barkley Dam in Kentucky and efforts to implement additional deterrents throughout the Tennessee and Cumberland River system.          

---TWRA---