Whirling Disease Found in Watauga and South Holston Tailwaters

Nashville, TN – Whirling disease was recently discovered by biologists during their annual trout population monitoring in the South Holston and Watauga tailwaters. The discovery is the first known occurrence of this disease in Tennessee.

Whirling disease, a condition caused by a non-native microscopic parasite, affects fish in the trout and salmon family, including rainbow, brook, and brown trout. This parasite can cause damage to the fish’s cartilage and skeletal tissue, resulting in deformities in the head and spine.  They may also develop a black tail, or display “whirling” or erratic tail-chasing behavior.

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