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Fishes

There are currently 11 fish species listed as threatened or endangered in Alabama. Most of them occur in north Alabama rivers and streams. the single biggest problem affecting protected fish that could result from forestry practices is sedimentation which smothers fish eggs and habitat. Pay particular attention to bridge and road construction that might lead to erosion. Leave wide buffer strips adjacent to streams when cutting timber on steep slopes. Avoid spraying pesticides near waterways. The best way to avoid impacts on fish is to closely follow Alabama's Best Management Practices for Forestry.

Below is a list of protected fish and the rivers and streams where they occur. Because many of these fish are small and not easily caught, they may also occur in additional streams. (See Fish Range Maps)

SPECIES* RIVERS/CREEKS COUNTIES
Gulf Sturgeon
(Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi)		 Mobile River, Tensaw River, Alabama River below Claiborne Dam, Tombigbee River below Coffeeville Dam Baldwin, Choctaw, Coffee, Clarke, Covington, Wilcox, Escambia, Geneva, Mobile, Monroe, Washington
Pygmy Sculpin
(Cottus pygmaeus)		 Coldwater Creek, Coldwater Spring Calhoun
Blue Shiner
(cyprinella caerulea)		 Little River, Weogufka Creek, Choccolocco Creek Calhoun, Dekalb, Cherokee, Coosa
Slackwater Darter
(Etheostoma boschungi)		 Cypress Creek and all its tributaries, except Threet and Little Cypress Creeks; Swan Creek, Greenbier Branch, Flint River Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Coosa
Watercress Darter*
(Etheostoma nuchale)		 Glenn Springs, Thomas, Roebuck and Tapawingo Springs and their spring runs Jefferson
Alabama Sturgeon*
(scaphirhynchus suttkusi)		 Alabama River Baldwin, Clarke, Monroe, Wilcox
Alabama Cavefish*
(speoplatyrhinus)		 Key Cave Lauderdale
Spotfin chub
(Cyprinella monacha)		 Shoal Creem, Little Bear Creek Colbert, Lauderdale
Vermilion Darter*
(Etheostoma chermocki)		 Turkey Creek and the lower reaches of Dry and Beaver Creek in the watershed of the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. Jefferson
Boulder Darter*
(Etheostoma wapiti)		 Elk River Limestone
Cahaba Shiner*
(Notropis cahabae)		 Cahaba River Bibb, Blount, Perry, Jefferson, Shelby
Palezone Shiner*
(Notropis procne)		 Paint Rock River Jackson
Goldline Darter
(Percina aurolineata)		 Cahaba and Little Cahaba Rivers and Schultz Creek Bibb, Shelby
Snail Darter
(Percina tanasi)		 Paint Rock River Madison, Marshall, Lauderdale
*Species names followed by an asterisk (*) are listed as endangered, all others are listed as threatened.

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