A recent bill (SB3049/HB3513) filed by state Senator Steve Southerland and Representative Eddie Yokely would create a program through the University of Tennessee to control black flies on the Pigeon River in upper east Tennessee. Problem is it could end up controlling a lot more that just the flies.

Most of us remember the Pigeon River as that famous river that used to flow through the smokys with a coffee color and no fish. That is, until the State of Tennessee threatened to sue to the State of North Carolina over the pollution being dumped into the river from the Canton, North Carolina papermill. In the end, the lawsuit was avoided and the river began a journey to become cleaner and healthier.

Today the Pigeon is a favorite fishing river, having seen trout and other aquatic life return to its waters, including the black fly. As a result, the tourism use of the river is up.

But the sponsors of this legislation claim, “The general assembly recognizes the negative impact of uncontrolled populations of simulium jenningsi and simulium fibrinflatum (“black flies”) on the economy and quality of life of a region. The general assembly also recognizes that the tourism and agricultural industries can be particularly affected by an overpopulation of black flies and that an overpopulation may be likely to spread throughout the eastern part of the state as black fly populations increase with the improvement of water quality. The general assembly believes that it is important to explore potential solutions to black fly infestation before the black fly problem becomes unmanageable and industries important to the state suffer the consequences of state inaction.”

What they have failed to realize is that these black flies are also a main food source for all the fish that frequent the waters of the Pigeon. To remove them from the ecosystem will undoubtedly harm the fish that rely upon them as food, and the economy built around the fish.

Beyond this, our friends at the legislature would make the black fly into the killer bee of east Tennessee, wreaking havoc and destruction on the regions economy. We don’t buy it for one minute. And if you like to fish you shouldn’t either.

As one of TWF’s board members recently exclaimed when learning of this bill, “Introduce them to OFF!” We say that’s a great idea.

Send your bottles of OFF to:

Representative Eddie Yokely
35 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN 37243-0111

Senator Steve Southerland
318 War Memorial Building
Nashville, TN 37243-0201