Dear Chairman Woods, et al.,
I am sending this email on behalf of Timothy Joseph, Chairman of the Watts Bar Ecology and Fishery Council (WBEFC).
Sincerely,
Janice Moody
Watts Bar Ecology and Fishery Council (WBEFC)
Secretary
Cell: 865.603.7384
Tommy Woods, Chairman, Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission
Jason Maxedon, Executive Director, Tennessee Wildlife Research Agency
Cc: Bill Lee, Governor of Tennessee, WBEFC Stakeholders
From: Dr. Timothy Joseph, Chairman, Watts Bar Ecology and Fishery Council
Subject: Silver Carp Mismanagement
Dear Chairman Woods:
Concerning our repeated request for TWRA/TFWC to prevent the invasive silver carp from entering the four silver carp free lakes in the upper TN river basin, TWFC stated, “We understand your desire to prioritize your local body of water, but our agency is mandated to prioritize management for the entire state and cannot ‘sacrifice’ other bodies of water to please one group of stakeholders.” This statement is offensive, unprofessional, and clearly reveals complete ignorance of biology and sound environmental management.
How dare TFWC suggest the WBEFC is asking to “sacrifice” other bodies of water when in fact, TFWC and TWRA have indeed already “sacrificed’ nearly the entire TN River Basin to the silver carp due to TFWC/TWRA management incompetence. Barrier technology has been available for five decades, and St. Anthony’s Lock in Minnesota was permanently closed to prevent the silver carp from reaching the upstream lakes. TFWC/TWRA knew the silver carp were making their way decades ago, yet they sat back and watched them take over lake after lake when they could have been stopped.
There are only four lakes silver carp free lake remaining in the TN River Basin. WBEFC has tried for more than four years to get you to “Stop” them, but you refuse to consider any effort to do so. I have provided you with the USFWS guidance (written by 30-professional biologists) and MICRA guidance (50-professionals) several times which clearly state the PRIORITY is to “prevent” silver carp from entering unoccupied lakes. Time and time again I have asked why TFWC/TWRA continues to ignore this guidance as well as the advice sent to you by our nation’s leading silver carp experts, Mr. Jerry Rasmussen, and Dr. Peter Sorensen.
Perhaps, Chairman Woods, unlike your predecessor, you have the professional curtesy to answer the direct question. The few inexperienced TFWC/TWRA biologists cannot possibly know more than the 80+ highly educated and experienced professionals, so please explain why TFWC has thus far ignored these experts by continuing to attempt to manage the silver carp in place when the guidance states specificallythat “Preventing” them from reaching new ecosystems is far more important that attempting to manage them in place. PLEASE EXPLAIN technically why you are not following this guidance.
You have the responsibility to “Save” the remaining four silver carp free lakes, yet TFWC/TWRA insist on sacrificing them so you can stop a few more silver carp from entering lakes you already sacrificed to the silver carp. Managing them in place instead of preventing them from reaching the upper four lakes clearly demonstrates the lack of TFWC/TWRA management ability and biological/ecological inexperience. Ignoring the USFWS and MICRA guidance confirms TFWC/TWRA arrogance and total disrespect for the experts and for the health of our silver carp free lakes. You are sacrificing Watts Bar, Melton Hill, Fort Loudon and Tellico Lakes to the silver carp by placing barriers behind the carp instead of in front of them at Watts Bar Lock. You only work to mitigate carp occupied lakes and dismiss the fact that you can save our lakes.
You can prevent the silver carp from reaching our four upper lakes—why won’t you? Why can’t you comprehend the simple fact that by placing barriers behind the silver carp you are providing them free access to our lakes thus “sacrificing” our beautiful ecosystems so you can appease the people on infested lakes at the expense of the millions of people who love and use the four unoccupied lakes? To deny this is to deny fact.
Please listen to the USFWS, MICRA, our nation’s silver carp experts, and put the first barrier at Watts Bar Lock, and then work to mitigate carp infested lakes.
Professionally,
Dr. Timothy Joseph