MISSION STATEMENT
PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND RESTORE wild NATIVE FISH POPULATIONS THROUGH STEWARDSHIP OF THE FISH AND THEIR HABITATS
TENNESSEE native fishes
According to Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, there are 67 “Major Lakes, Reservoirs & Rivers” across four management regions in the state. There are 19,000 miles of warmwater and coldwater streams, and thousands of smaller lakes and ponds as well. It is said that Tennessee has one of the most diverse assemblages of wild native fish in North America with roughly 285 species. Of the 320 species of fish found in Tennessee, which includes nonnative fish, twelve percent are classified as gamefish, with the remaining eighty-eight percent categorized as non-gamefish. According to The Nature Conservancy, the Tennessee River watershed is the most biologically diverse river system in the United States. Brook trout are the only species of salmonid native to Tennessee. While many brook trout populations in Tennessee have suffered from genetic introgression with Northern strain fish, there are still populations of native Southern strain, or Southern Appalachian strain brook trout. Other native fish include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, Coosa bass, white crappie, black crappie, longear sunfish, walleye, chain pickerel, grass pickerel, muskellunge, bowfin, flathead catfish, blue catfish, channel catfish, lake sturgeon, pallid sturgeon, alligator gar, spotted gar, longnose gar, shortnose gar, paddlefish, and snail darter.
status, threats, and conservation
According to The Nature Conservancy, the Tennessee River watershed has 57 native fish species classified as “at-risk.” Another 65 or so other species are listed under management categories used by the state. Roughly a dozen fish species are listed as Endangered or Threatened at the federal level. Amber darter, barrens topminnow, bluemask darter, boulder darter, chucky madtom, Conasauga logperch, Cumberland darter, duskytail darter, laurel dace, palezone shiner, pallid sturgeon, pygmy madtom, and smoky madtom are classified as Endangered, while blackside dace, blue shiner, frecklebelly madtom, goldline darter, sickle darter, slackwater darter, slender chub, spotfin chub, trispot darter, and yellowfin madtom are listed as Threatened. Like most states, Tennessee has seen its share of nonnative fish introductions. The state is said to have at least 320 self-sustaining species of fish. Of these, approximately 35 are nonnative to Tennessee. Species that are native to the state have been moved around outside their historic waters as well. Like other states, many of the nonnative fish found in Tennessee were intentionally and legally introduced to provide recreation for anglers, forage for gamefish, bait, and in some cases vegetation control. Other species were introduced by anglers accidently via their use as bait or release of baitfish, or deliberately as acts of bucket biology. Non-sportsmen have contributed to the problem as well through the release of aquarium fish, or movement of fish from one body of water to another.
TENNESSEE board
Below is our Tennessee State Board. This dedicated group of volunteers are our "boots on the ground" in Tennessee, home to miles of river and stream, numerous lakes and ponds, and a number of wild native fish species.
TENNESSEE ADvisory CounCil
Below is our Tennessee Advisory Council. This group of volunteers represents a veritable all-star team of subject matter expertise and hands-on experience. They work with the Tennessee board to identify areas in need of attention, while providing technical assistance.
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CODY BAIN was born and raised in Tennga, a small town in Murray…