By Cameron Layne, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy 

At the Conservancy’s annual Fall Review, I was invited to give a presentation about the unique beauty of West Virginia’s fish diversity. More importantly, I was able to bring focus to the special yet often overlooked non-game fishes, which comprise the majority of our state’s nearly 200 fish species. 

The purpose of my presentation was to help alleviate the group terms “Shiners” or “Minnows” that actually represent diverse and important species that inhabit our fragile waters. Especially with a history of logging, coal mining, and land alterations in West Virginia, I wanted to emphasize that such fish species are often reliable bioindicators (signs) of ecological health. Not only this, but these fish help represent cultural identity, water quality, and a name for our beloved state. 

It was nothing short of inspiring to see the eyes of everyone in the room light up with excitement at images and tales of Candy Darters, Brook Trout, New River endemic species, and much more. With some species that can only be found in West Virginia, such as the Diamond Darter, I felt a personal urgency to share with others the worth of preserving our state’s rich and dense fish communities. 

To see everyone so excited for my presentation fulfilled my passion for aquatic conservation of Appalachian fishes and elevated the reason I became a fisheries biologist. I knew I had achieved my goal when I heard from attendees afterwards say, “I had no idea we had beautiful fish like that!”

For more information on West Virginia’s fishes, visit the West Virginia Native Fish Coalition website (https://nativefishcoalition.org/west-virginia) or the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources website (https://wvdnr.gov/fishing/).