The Spotfin Chub is more than unique- it's an endemic species. Found only in parts of western North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama, this fish illustrates the special beauty of Blue Ridge streams. Southern Appalachian rivers contain the most aquatic animals outside of the tropics, including some species that live nowhere else in the world, like the Spotfin Chub! Mainspring Conservation Trust is committed to supporting animals like Spotfin Chubs by conserving and restoring waterfront property to improve water quality, and hosting a long term Aquatic Biomonitoring program that assesses the health of our waterways. Your purchase supports our efforts to protect our special region and the unique animals that live here.

As a "local range endemic," Spotfin Chubs evolved in the Tennessee River watershed, and to this day can not be found in any other waters in the world! This shiny blue fish has become rare or even extinct in parts of its very small range due to the impacts that poorly planned development and the loss of native plant life have on our waterways. Like many of our mountain fish, Spotfin Chubs need clean water and rocky riverbeds in order to reproduce. When silt clouds the water, Spotfin Chubs cannot see the insects they prey upon and their breathing becomes labored. If sediment covers the rocks in the riverbed, the fish cannot conceal their eggs from predators. The Spotfin Chub has been classified as a threatened species since 1977 due to its limited range and sensitivity to environmental changes.

Below, a Spotfin Chub being counted during an Aquatic Biomonitoring session. After data was collected, the fish was released unharmed.