The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) manages fish, wildlife, and their habitats, overseeing fishing law enforcement, education, and boating access statewide. They manage over 1.5 million acres across 123 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), which support fishing access, conservation, and outdoor recreation. They also stock over 10 million fish per year, oversee invasive species removal (notably carp), and manage trout-tailwater at all TVA reservoirs. And they need your feedback.
The TWRA will welcome public comments for its 2026-27 fishing regulations now through Wednesday, August 27 – providing an opportunity for the public to share ideas and concerns about fishing regulations with TWRA staff. Any proposed fishing regulation changes will be previewed at a meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission in early 2026.
Public comments will be considered with fishery independent assessments to select the best strategies and regulations to manage Tennessee’s resources while accommodating the widest variety of anglers.
TWRA Fisheries personnel use a variety of techniques to manage fish populations and gather data about fish population size structure, recruitment, growth, density, and mortality. In addition, fisheries personnel work to improve habitat to benefit fish species along with propagating and stocking numerous species of fish to ensure anglers have the best fishing opportunities possible. TWRA also conducts angler surveys to gain a better understanding of fisheries including, effort, catch, preferences, demographics, and economics. All this information is taken into consideration during the regulation process.
There will be a public comment period on the proposed regulations after the TWRA presentation to the commission. Any approved regulations will go into effect August 1, 2026.
To submit your public comment, click here. To learn more about fishing in the State of Tennessee visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s website by clicking here. •
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