"Asian Carp Threaten TN Native Species"

"They're nicknamed the 'silver bullet' and have broken boaters' noses, jaws and ribs.

That hasn't happened here, but Asian carp that can weigh up to 50 pounds and jump into the air when disturbed have shown up in the Cumberland River as far upstream as Cheatham Dam in Ashland City, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Aside from endangering boaters and water skiers, the bug-eyed, silver-colored fish have anglers alarmed because they can multiply quickly and threaten the food that bass, crappie, paddlefish and the state's other native species depend on. If the fish can't be controlled they could jeopardize the state's $1.3 billion sports and commercial fishing industries."

Anne Paine reports for the Nashville Tennessean March 21, 2010.