TWRA Soliciting Comments Concerning Proposed Live Bait Regulation Changes
Friday, September 25, 2009 | 01:55am
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency proposed a suite of regulation changes pertaining to the sale and use of live bait in the state to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission during its Sept. 17 meeting.
The TWRA is now soliciting public comments on these proposed regulations, particularly from anglers who use live fish, crayfish, or salamanders for bait and bait dealers who sell fish and other aquatic life for bait. (The proposed regulation changes can be found below.)
The TWRA is proposing these regulations to address several issues. Primarily, these regulation changes are necessary to help prevent unwanted species from being imported and accidentally stocked into Tennessee waters. Non-native fish and crayfish introductions resulting from bait bucket transfers are becoming a growing problem in many Tennessee waters and these introductions can negatively impact fishing. TWRA believes that this regulation package is the best option for preventing these introductions in the future.
These regulations will also help to reduce the risk of disease transfer through live bait use. Deadly fish diseases like Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) have been found in states that provide live bait to Tennessee and TWRA wants to prevent these diseases from entering Tennessee waters through the bait trade.
TWRA is asking for public comments on these proposed regulation changes by Oct. 25, 2009. Public comments should be submitted by mail to: Live Bait Comments, TWRA, Fisheries Management Division, P.O. 40747, Nashville, TN 37204 or emailed to TWRA.Comment@tn.gov. Please include Live Bait Comments on the subject line of emailed submissions. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission will vote on these regulations at their Oct.29-30, 2009 meeting in Knoxville.
---TWRA---