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Study recommends curtains of unpleasant bubbles to fence Asian carp in Tennessee waters

Staff File Photo / Carp swarm out of the Cumberland River as Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Reservoir Biologist Michael Clark, left, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Fisheries Biologist Matthew Combs, center, and Kentucky DFWR Fisheries Biologist Joshua Tompkins work to remove them from the water during an electrofishing demonstration at the Barkley Dam on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 in Grand Rivers, Ky. The electrofishing demonstration was held to show the large population of an invasive carp in the river.
Staff File Photo / Carp swarm out of the Cumberland River as Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Reservoir Biologist Michael Clark, left, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Fisheries Biologist Matthew Combs, center, and Kentucky DFWR Fisheries Biologist Joshua Tompkins work to remove them from the water during an electrofishing demonstration at the Barkley Dam on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 in Grand Rivers, Ky. The electrofishing demonstration was held to show the large population of an invasive carp in the river. Staff File Photo / Carp swarm out of the Cumberland River as Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Reservoir Biologist Michael Clark, left, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Fisheries Biologist Matthew Combs, center, and Kentucky DFWR Fisheries Biologist Joshua Tompkins work to remove them from the water during an electrofishing demonstration at the Barkley Dam on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 in Grand Rivers, Ky. The electrofishing demonstration was held to show the large population of an invasive carp in the river.

By Ben Benton 5 min read

Seven dams on the Tennessee River should have barriers installed to mitigate invasive Asian carp that pose problems for native fish and can even injure boaters, according to a final environmental assessment from the Tennessee Valley Authority last week.

“Fish barriers in Kentucky, Wilson and Pickwick locks should be immediately installed followed by installation in Guntersville, Nickajack, Chickamauga and Watts Bar locks,” a news release on the assessment states.

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Physicians letter to Gov. Asa Hutchinson

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While TVA is not the lead agency for controlling the spread of Asian carp in the Tennessee River, the federal utility conducted the assessment to support a national, multi-agency effort including the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 28 other agencies with fisheries management jurisdiction to control Asian carp in the river system, TVA officials said in the release.