Twice the Fish for Tennessee?

The TRWA is looking at a plan to effectively double the number of fish stocked in the state's waters. At a cost of 19 million dollars, the proposed hatchery additions and improvements could make Tennessee a world class fishing destination. Approximately 12 million dollars of the money would go towards a new cold water (trout) hatchery in Elizabethton, TN.

This could make the $80 per year fee for a non-resident TN trout fishing permit something we would have to put in our budget.

UPDATE: Tom Chandler from The Trout Underground made an excellent comment that merits being moved to the front page:

Murdock;

I'm not at all sure that more hatchery fish will make Tennessee a World-class fishing destination. In fact, I'd suggest it already is, and that expanding their hatcheries is going to pull it in the wrong direction...

A valid point Tom. We get excited easily when it comes to fishing. This is a good reminder that the addition of more hatchery trout to a fishery is not always a the best thing for the eco-system. A self sustaining population of South Holston brown trout would be a much better outcome all around.