attach the eggs to an object. Blueside darters bury their eggs in riffle habitats with fine or coarse gravel sand substrate in moderate current. The male pursues a female and mounts her and she lays 3-5 eggs in the gravel The eggs hatch after around 8–10 days after an incubation temperature of 21° - 23 °C Blueside darter diet consists of midge larvae, microcrustaceans, and mayfly nymphs The males have been known to produce Schreckstoff substances that serve to warn nearby fish in case of an attack. Current Management One area where populations have been declining due to toxic effluents is the Pigeon River which begins in Haywood County, North Carolina, and flows into the French Broad River in Tennessee A paper plant began releasing toxins into the water in 1908 which led to degradation of not only the Pigeon River but the toxins flowed 79 miles downstream into the French Broad River system. The water pollution extirpated several species of mollusks and fish including the blueside darter Champion Paper International, currently called Blue Ridge Paper Products, has since made changes to the plant to improve water quality but has not entirely eliminated all the pollution Of the 24 non-game species that were extirpated from the Pigeon and French Broad River systems due to water pollution from the paper plant, 8 species have been re-introduced by the Pigeon River Recovery Project. In the southeastern United States, there have been few re-introductions and even fewer attempts to monitor their success The projects goal has been to reintroduce as many of those extirpated species as possible into locations where successful restoration is favorable Management Recommendations A recommendation for future management of the blueside darter is to initiate transporting individuals from other locations into areas where the populations have been reduced or extirpated. However, since some darter populations are too small to remove and not easy to find, initiating captive propagation of the species may be the best alternative management plan. Results from previous management programs have had successful results with captive propagation and they have provided crucial information on the species habitat requirements and spawning behaviors and requirements. Captive propagation may be the most critical management tool in order to re-establish populations of these small non-game fish. References Etheostoma Fish described in 1878