Featured Native Fish Information Resources

Splendid darter, Etheostoma barrenense
© William Roston
  • The NANFA Riparian Zone webpage
    Riparian comes from the Latin word ripa, which means bank. Riparian zones are areas of transition between aquatic and upland ecosystems, and they offer numerous, yet often overlooked, benefits to wildlife and people. Although riparian zones comprise a small proportion of the total landscape, they are among the most diverse biological systems on earth. As our population increases, there will be increased pressures to use riparian areas for a variety of commercial and recreational purposes. It is vital that we all become involved in the conservation and restoration of these areas.

  • The Nature Conservancy Natureserve Explorer
    A source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communities of the United States and Canada.

  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Management Offices - State, Territorial, and Tribal Wildlife Agency Web Pages

Native Fish Links

There are so many web sites with useful information that it is impossible to list them all. Here are a few recommended starting points. Most have links to other sites.

But first, a big NANFA "Thanks!" goes to Joseph Tomelleri. Through his exquisite artwork, Mr. Tomelleri has drawn the world's attention to the beauty of the native fishes of North America. We are proud to have him as a NANFA member and friend, and we ask that you visit his americanfishes.com website, where you can view and purchase his artwork. This is not a paid advertisement, and NANFA does not receive any money from these sales. We just want to say "Thanks!"


Barewalls.com provides over 17,000 image results for "Freshwater Fish" out of the hundreds of thousands of fish pictures in their database. Barewalls' vast collection contains artwork that can be poster/print size and offer photography as well.

BareWalls Posters and Prints

Information on North American Fishes and Aquatic Ecology

  • Conservation Fisheries, Inc. (CFI)
    CFI is a tax exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of aquatic biodiversity.  They propagate rare fishes with the goal of restoring populations that have been eliminated because of pollution or habitat destruction, and they also produce fishes for use in refining water quality standards. 
  • Native Fish Conservancy
    Native Fish Conservancy was formed to operate as a non partisan, nonprofit tax-exempt organization for the advancement of educational and scientific programs and initiatives.
  • The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
    The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation conserves healthy populations of fish, wildlife and plants, on land and in the sea, through creative and respectful partnerships, sustainable solutions, and better education. The Foundation meets these goals by awarding challenge grants to projects benefitting conservation education, habitat protection and restoration, and natural resource management.
  • The Great Lakes Information Network
    The Great Lakes Information Network, or GLIN, is a partnership that provides one place online for people to find information relating to the binational Great Lakes region. Thanks to its strong network of state, provincial, federal and regional partner agencies and organizations, GLIN has become a necessary component of informed decisionmaking, and a trusted and reliable source of information for those who live, work or have an interest in the Great Lakes region.
  • The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
    The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Programis a partnership of public and private organizations aimed at recovering endangered fish while also allowing for future water development.  The upper Colorado River basin, which is composed of the Colorado River and its tributaries upstream of Lake Powell, is home to 14 native fish species, four of which are now endangered - the Colorado squawfish, razorback sucker, bonytail and humpback chub.
  • American Rivers
    Celebrating over 26 years of bringing rivers to life, American Rivers is North America's leading national river-conservation organization. Their mission is to protect and restore America's river systems and to foster a river stewardship ethic.
  • Earthwave Society
    Earthwave Society's primary mission is to provide information and education via television and educational videos to people around the world regarding biodiversity, sound conservation practices, and prudent utilization of our natural resources in order to insure healthy fish and wildlife populations in a healthy, thriving environment.
  • Fishes of Wisconsin
    The entire text of George C. Becker's classic Fishes of Wisconsin is online!
  • National Wetlands Research Center
    National Wetlands Research Center, whose mission is to develop and disseminate scientific information needed for understanding the ecology and values of our nation's wetlands and for managing and restoring wetland habitats and associated plant and animal communities.

  • The Natural History Museum
    Online access to The Natural History Museum, London.

  • Our Living Resources: A Report to the Nation on the Distribution, Abundance, and Health of U.S. Plants, Animals, and Ecosystems
  • American Fisheries Society
    The American Fisheries Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to strengthening the fisheries profession, advancing fisheries science, and conserving fisheries resources.
  • Southeastern Fishes Council
    The Southeastern Fishes Council (SFC) is a nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to the study and conservation of freshwater and coastal fishes of the southeastern United States.

Other Valuable Sites and Organizations

Aquarium Resources

Aquatic Invertebrates

"The plight of freshwater mussels is a prime example
of the decline of aquatic habitats and the species that inhabit them
. "

Kevin Cummings and Christine Mayer, Illinois Natural History Survey,
The Decline of Freshwater Mussels in Illinois

Photo © M.C. Barnhart; used with permission

Introduced Species

Southwest United States Fishes


Devils Hole, NV.  Photo by Tom Webster

A Few Other Native Fish Pages

Some Regional Fish Lists and Information

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