Jason Maxedon
Exec. Dir. of TWRA
5107 Edmondson Pike
Ellington Agricultural Center
Nashville, TN 37211
Mr. Maxedon:
I attended the recent presentation by Mr. Cole Hardy on September 13th at the Tellico Village fishing club (TVFG) monthly meeting where Mr. Hardy provided the TWRA’s approach to managing the Asian carp problem in the Tennessee River.
I have concerns with 1) the strategy information he shared on behalf of the TWRA and 2) even more concerns with what I perceived as a lack of professionalism by Mr. Hardy during his presentation. I have detailed below my concerns. Where I write Mr. Hardy “said” or “shared,” I am paraphrasing what I heard and captured in my notes as I did not record his presentation.
My thoughts expressed below are mine alone and should not be viewed in any way associated with the TVFG Club. I acknowledge I live near and fish in the waters of the upper four lakes of the Tennessee River.
My Concerns with TWRA Strategy Based on Mr. Hardy’s Presentation
From what I took from Mr. Hardy’s presentation, I have concern as to the planned location of barriers/deterrents. Placing the first deterrent behind the Asian carp population already in Kentucky Lake from my vantage point goes against the USFWS and MICRA Guidance. Has the science from those sources been considered in the development of TWRA’s strategy? The TWRA plan appears to be to wait until the fish reach the upper four lakes (Asian carp free at this point) and only then consider a deterrent while reducing the number of Asian carp entering already highly infested lakes. Am I wrong in what I perceive? -2/4-
Slowing down an invasive species instead of doing everything possible to “STOP” it, seems to go against science and reason. How are you factoring in the nation’s experts’ knowledge on these fish in TWRA’s strategy? (For example, Dr. Peter Sorensen and Jerry Rasmussen). I see little of their recommendations incorporated in the TWRA’s strategy. If you stop them before they get to the upper four lakes, TWRA will not have to subsidize commercial fishing on the upper lakes as the TWRA is doing in the lower lakes.
- Mr. Hardy shared that the TWRA’s strategy assumed that the Asian carp would “not spawn as they last did in 2015 but could not guarantee it.” He indicated that TWRA is continuing to monitor for spawning and “would revisit that strategy should they spawn again.” Won’t that be too late? What is the contingency plan? Has it been developed, or will it be developed after they spawn?
- Mr. Harty acknowledged during the question-and-answer session after his presentation that he was familiar with the USGS study which states: “The FluEgg model shows that the temperature, flow regimens and backwater nursery areas for Chickamauga, Watts Bar, Melton Hill, Fort Loudon, and Tellico Lake fully support silver carp reproduction. Therefore, there is no question that these lakes provide ideal conditions for successful spawning of the silver carp. Watts Bar Lake has quite a bit of accessible potential nursery habitat for silver carp hatchlings.” Given the FluEgg model information, the TWRA’s strategy of not stopping the Asian carp before they move further upstream would appear to me to be a recipe for a disaster for the upper four lakes. If Mr. Hardy is aware of the FluEgg model as he indicated at the meeting, does he and the TWRA management not see the obvious disaster ahead?
- What impact does the barge industry have on TWRA’s strategy and any recommendations TWRA will make to TVA and the Army Core of Engineers?
I ask this not because it was brought up during Mr. Hardy’s presentation, but rather because of what appears to me to be a lack of existing scientific information being used to formulate TWRA’s strategy to manage the Asian carp situation. I therefore must assume there are other factors (besides funding) which are keeping TWRA from basing their strategy and recommendations on science.
I understand that the COE has a responsibility to the barge traffic, but I would hope that TWRA is basing their strategy, decisions, and recommendations on science and not what other agencies want to hear. Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Mr. Cole and his associates have degrees in biology/fisheries. For the life of me I do not see the “science/ecology” supporting TWRA’s plan as Mr. Hardy described it at the TVFG meeting. From Mr. Hardy’s presentation, I certainly did not get the sense that science was the “platform” TWRA was “standing on.” -3/4-
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought TWRA was responsible for bringing a science-based approach to the multi-agency effort on the Asian carp problem. If TWRA does not bring the science perspective to this effort, I ask you who is responsible for bringing the scientific knowledge to the multi-agency team? I did not think that scientific background regarding fish biology existed in the other agencies TWRA is interfacing with, but maybe I am wrong.
My Concerns with Cole Hardy Based on His Presentation
- Early in Mr. Hardy’s presentation he shared that in other parts of the world, the Asian carp is fished for with rod and reel and then said with a smile “and they taste good too.”
- Near the end of his presentation, he shared once again with a smile “I know I told you this earlier, but they do taste good.”
Wow, this is the individual who is supposed to be the Asian carp point person for the TWRA, and he is going to work with other agencies to stop these invasive fish! Sounds like he is more interested in eating them than stopping them. Those type of remarks seemed more appropriate for an informal discussion in at a neighborhood bar than would be shared by a TWRA representative speaking to a fishing group during a formal presentation.
- Mr. Hardy in his presentation acknowledged the Asian carp were in Chickamauga. During the question-and-answer session after Mr. Hardy’s presentation, the moderator asked questions that had been submitted by Club members prior to the meeting. My question the moderator read to Mr. Hardy was….With your current working strategy, can the Asian carp be prohibited from getting into Watts Bar Lake? Mr. Hardy’s answer was a restatement of TWRA’s strategy to slow the migration up the river and harvest them in Kentucky Lake. I then stood up and claimed the question was mine and repeated the question. His response was a simple “No.”
There was no mention of alternative approaches that could be considered. He is certainly aware of alternative approaches that could save the upper four lakes from the Asian carp yet mentioned none. Was he not able to discuss them per TWRA directives?
- Mr. Hardy shared “These fish are not like salmon racing upstream.” About 15 minutes later when he was discussing the TWRA’s research using telemetry he cited a study where a tagged Asian carp had traveled over six hundred river miles in 2 ½ months.
Granted, that particular carp did not travel up the Tennessee River, but his two statements (not “racing upstream” and “600 miles in 2 ½ months”) are not entirely consistent with each other. It did not instill confidence in the TWRA’s “not like salmon” analogy or Mr. Hardy’s scientific credibility. That particular carp seemed to be in a fish race going somewhere. Fortunately, not up the Tennessee River…. this time. -4/4-
- One of the last questions from the audience was with regards to was there any way of getting rid of them once the Asian carp are in a body of water. Mr. Hardy’s response was “there wasn’t a silver bullet to eradicate them” (which I understand) and then proceeded to with a smile on his face say, “I hope there is a silver bullet developed before I retire.”
Wow, he really instilled confidence again coming from the point man of the TWRA “fighting” the Asian carp and making what I perceive as a glib comment about what the future holds. I believe research is being done at different academic institutions on possible eradication approaches; obviously nonviable now. Is Mr. Hardy aware of that research? Is he staying connected with their research? If so, why not acknowledge as he did there was no silver bullet yet, but he was in close contact with universities around the country regarding this topic and is on top of any opportunities he finds out about. Or maybe he is not aware of the research?
In summary, Mr. Harty’s presentation left me with the perception that…
- TWRA is not at all interested in “Protecting” our upper lakes, but only cares about reducing the number of carp in already infested lakes. Is that consistent with TWRA’s stated mission?
- Mr. Hardy is not serious about stopping these “good tasting fish” “before he retires.” Is there someone within TWRA who is serious about stopping these invasive fish?
I look forward to your response to my perception of TWRA’s strategy and my view of Mr. Cole’s intent based on his presentation at the TVFG meeting on the 13th.
Respectfully,
Michael S. McCracken
cc: Allan Brown, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Robert Deacy, TVA
Craig D. Carrington, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -5/4-
Allan Brown
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Assistant Regional Director – Fish and Aquatic Conservation
South Atlantic-Gulf and Mississippi Basin Unified Regions
1875 Century Blvd., Room 442
Atlanta, GA 30345
Mr. Robert Deacy, Senior Vice President
Clinch River Nuclear Project
TVA
1101 Market Street
Chattanooga TN 37402
Craig D. Carrington, PMP
Chief, Project Planning Branch
Nashville District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
2636 Elm Hill Pike
Nashville, TN 37214