One of Rarest Fish in U.S. to be Reintroduced into Shoal Creek, Tennessee and Alabama

Contacts:
Tim Merritt, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 931-528-6481, ext. 211
Rick Ouellette, International Paper, 912-655-8411

WHAT:

The endangered boulder darter has not been seen in Shoal Creek, a Tennessee River tributary, since the 1880s. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, International Paper, Conservation Fisheries, Inc., Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are undertaking a cooperative effort to restore darter populations in the creek which flows through Lauderdale County , Alabama , and Lawrence County , Tennessee . About 217 darters from a Conservation Fisheries, Inc., hatchery population will be released.

WHO:

Anthony Purser, Mayor of Iron City , Tennessee
Mark Hughes, manager, terrestrial and aquatic biology, International Paper
Dr. Sharon Haines, director, sustainable forestry and forest policy, International Paper
Gloria Bell, Chief, Division of Endangered Species , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Gary Myers, executive director, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Dr. David Etnier, professor who described boulder darter, University of Tennessee

WHEN:

May 10, 2005
11:00 a.m. Media meet at Iron City Park for caravan to Shoal Creek site.
11:30 a.m. Brief ceremony on banks of Shoal Creek, followed by boulder darter release.

Photo opportunities and interviews available. Call media contacts.

WHERE:

Directions to Iron City Park:

• From Nashville: Take I-65 S toward Huntsville , AL . Take Columbia , TN Hwy 99/412 exit, go right toward Columbia . Stay straight on US 43 through Mt. Pleasant, Lawrenceburg, and to Saint Joseph . Turn right onto TN 227 toward Iron City . Just before reaching Iron City cross over the Shoal Creek bridge, make an immediate left turn into the Iron City Park . (Drive Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes)
  
  
• From Huntsville: Take US 72 through Athens , AL toward Florence . Just west of Killen , AL , take a right onto US 43. Continue straight on US 43 to Saint Joseph , TN. Turn left in Saint Joseph , onto TN 227 toward Iron City . Just before reaching Iron City cross over the Shoal Creek bridge, make an immediate left turn into the Iron City Park .. (Drive Time: 2 hours)
  
  
• From Chattanooga : Take I-24 W toward Nashville . Turn left on Alt 41/ TN 15 (Exit 134) toward Sewanee. Follow Alt 41/TN 15 through Cowan to US 64. Turn left onto US 64/TN15 (Winchester Bypass) and proceed straight through Fayetteville and Pulaski to Lawrenceburg. Turn left onto US 43 and proceed through Lawrenceburg to Saint Joseph . Turn right in Saint Joseph , onto TN 227 toward Iron City . Just before reaching Iron City you will cross over the Shoal Creek bridge, make an immediate left turn into the Iron City Park . (Drive Time: 4 hours)