TWRA Proposes Commercial Fishing Changes for 2008

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has announced proposed changes to the Commercial Fishing Proclamation for 2008. The announcements for the changes came at the recently held Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission meeting at the Region 2 Bell Office Building.

Among the discussed items, the TWRA proposed that the Loosahatchie River in West Tennessee and the Watts Bar Reservoir in East Tennessee be closed to commercial fishing due to contaminant advisories for these specific waters.

The TWRA also recommended shovelnose sturgeon be removed from the list of species that can legally be harvested by commercial fishers because the species is difficult to distinguish from the federally endangered pallid sturgeon.

Several changes to paddlefish regulations for the Mississippi River were suggested, including an increased minimum size limit, a shortened season, and an increased minimum mesh size restriction.

In response to recent disease concerns, the TWRA proposed a restriction that would prohibit commercial fishers from exporting large catfish out of state alive.

Several other changes to the proclamation were suggested to clarify the regulations for commercial fishers and wholesale fish dealers. The changes include more specific definitions for several gear types, clarification of locations where wholesale fish dealers can purchase products, and requirement that commercial fishers and wholesale fish dealers keep their contact information updated with the TWRA.

The changes will also require that commercial fishers remove all animals from their gear each time that they check it, and clarification of when commercial fishers are allowed to remove the ovary portion that must be left in harvested egg bearing paddlefish.

The TWRA invites comments on the proposed changes prior to the September TWRC meeting where final decisions on these issues will be made. Comments may be submitted by mail to:

Commercial Fish Comments, TWRA, Fisheries Management Division, P.O. Box 40747, Nashville, TN 37204; e-mailed to: twra.comment@state.tn.us (please include “Commercial Fish Comments” on the subject line); or by calling (615) 781-6575.