FWS proposes ‘endangered’ listing for fish endemic to Middle Tennessee

A Tennessee fish may soon be considered an endangered species. 

On Friday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services proposed to list the Barrens darter as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

The Barrens darter is small, bottom-dwelling fish that creates nests under flat rocks. Males produce a variety sounds, like knocks, drums and purrs. These fish only live in a few headwater streams, roughly only six miles all together, that feed into the Collins River. 

The species is named for its home territory, the Barrens Plateau, which sits between Nashville and Chattanooga. 

A big threat to the fish is habitat loss, which may be at an even greater risk due to the removal of many of Tennessee’s wetland protections, and streambank degradation, largely tied to animal agriculture in the area. Another threat is hybridization with an invasive darter. 

The fish has been a candidate for listing since 1994. The Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to reconsider the listing after the Center for Biological Diversity won a lawsuit two years ago.

Citizens can comment on the proposed listing until Sept. 2.