Current Management
The snail darter is a federally protected species and is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as a result of habitat destruction from the completion of the Tellico Dam. Another factor in the decline of snail darters is siltation, which degrades spawning habitat and food availability. Other influences include agricultural development, environmental contamination and pollution, and channel modification, which affect the water clarity, reproduction success, and migration patterns. A recovery plan was made and completed on May 5, 1983.The recovery efforts focused on finding and transplanting individuals to suitable habitat areas in the Tennessee River, continuing research to located already existing populations, and maintaining current population of snail darters. Programs are in progress to educate the public and to work with state officials and local citizens to broaden protection efforts. However, more recent research about snail darters is still needed to better manage and protect the species and its habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, TVA, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, and other law enforcement agencies are utilizing legislation and regulations to protect the snail darter during the recovery effort. It is recommended that at least five separate viable populations should be maintained, the species should be kept on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, and Federal permits to collect the species should be required. As a result of the current recovery plan, the snail darter’s federal listing was degraded to a threatened species.
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