Happy Springtime everyone! Well, maybe that's a bit premature, but the pine warblers are singing in my back yard, the trout lilies are starting to bloom and we've already been in the water snorkeling this week! I do believe snorkeling in February may be a first for us! And, it wasn't so bad! On top of that, the little snubnose darters in Spring Creek (of the Hiwassee) were already spawning. They were about as intensely colored as any I've ever seen!

In the hatchery, love is in the air as well! Our ashy darters (Little River in Tennessee) are spawning. We have collected fertile eggs and these are developing. This has been a difficult species for us. Most of the previous work we've done with them involved fish from the Clinch River. We'll soon see how Little River fish compare.

Numerous other species are preparing to spawn, including: gilt darters, blotchside logperch and Kentucky arrow darters. We are probably already getting egg production from several other species that we maintain, but don't actively spawn.

We will post updates on these and other species in the hatchery soon!

Good news! CFI has been selected by Endow-Bio, Inc., the National Endowment for Biodiversity, to receive funds raised through the organization’s on line community of supporters in 2012. CFI and four other non-profits were selected from more than 900 nationwide for this unique opportunity to help build a new way to support organizations addressing “rare species management, scientific research, environmental education, environmental law, land acquisition, habitat management, advocacy, wilderness, wildlife rehabilitation, family planning and other social issues relating to conservation of biodiversity”. Find out more at their website, Endow-Bio.org. This is only their second year of fundraising effort, so they are still in a building phase, but this presents an even better opportunity for CFI if we can get large numbers of our supporters to join this new way to support conservation (for as little as $1!) So visit their website, make a donation, and vote for CFI. Then spread the word!

Don't forget to "Like" CFI on Facebook if you do that sort of thing! We frequently post photos and videos and provide updates as to "goings on" around our place and in the world of imperiled fishes!

Your support means more than ever these days! If you can, drop by the old PayPal bucket and drop a few bucks in! Every contribution counts and we very much appreciate ALL of them!

Have a great Spring, and if today is any indication, batton down the hatches! It might be a rough one!

J. R.

Hi Folks!

Well, we're trying to wrap up another year of field and hatchery work! The prolonged nice weather (around here at least!) this fall allowed us to get mostly caught up with planned field work. As usual, however, some work did go unfinished! Once the weather did turn and the rain started....well, it hasn't let up much!