The Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) conducted a series of investigations from 1981 through 1983 to determine the extent of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination of fish and sediment in Fort Loudoun Reservoir near Knoxville, Tenn. Fish and sediments from the Little River embayment had higher PCB concentrations than samples from other parts of the reservoir, and sediments contained up to 7 μg/g PCB near the mouth of the embayment. Little River embayment catfish contained up to 22 μg/g PCB in edible flesh, and over 60 percent exceeded the 5 μg/g Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limit for PCB. Sport fish and commercially important rough fish had PCB burdens below the 5 μg/g FDA limit. As a management response, a public advisory in April 1982 recommended against frequent consumption of catfish from Fort Loudoun Reservoir or consumption of any catfish from the Little River embayment. The Little River embayment was posted and closed to commercial catfishing. Active sources of PCB contamination were identified and eliminated. In August 1984 FDA revised the limit for PCB in edible fish flesh from 5 μg/g to 2 μg/g. As a public health precaution, Fort Loudoun Reservoir was closed to the taking of catfish for commercial resale and a public health advisory was issued against consumption of catfish by sport fishers. An extensive sampling program was designed and initiated to update the 1981–83 data base.