Editing Potomac River (section)

===Fish===
[[File:American Shad by Duane Raver USFWS.jpg|thumb|After an absence lasting many decades, the American Shad has recently returned to the Potomac.]]
A variety of fish inhabit the Potomac, including [[Bass (fish)|bass]], [[muskellunge]], [[pike (fish)|pike]], [[walleye]]. The [[northern snakehead]], an invasive species resembling the native [[bowfin]], [[lamprey]], and [[American eel]], was first seen in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bal-md.snakeheads27apr27,0,6241227.story|title=Potomac snakeheads not related to others|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930035221/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bal-md.snakeheads27apr27,0,6241227.story|archive-date=September 30, 2007|publisher=Associated Press|via=The Baltimore Sun|date=April 27, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/snakehead/ |title=Northern Snakehead |publisher=Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources |access-date=July 4, 2020 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112024553/https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/snakehead/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Many species of [[Centrarchidae|sunfish]] are also present in the Potomac and its headwaters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.potomacriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MasterFreshFishList0213.pdf |title=Fishes of the freshwater potomac |author=Jim Cummins |date=2013 |website=www.potomacriver.org |publisher=[[Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin]] |access-date=February 27, 2018 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930154506/http://www.potomacriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MasterFreshFishList0213.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Although rare, [[bull shark]]s can be found.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.somdnews.com/stories/09032010/entetop183727_32296.shtml |title=Sharks! Watermen catch two 8-footers on same day |publisher=somdnews.com |access-date=2011-12-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910163457/http://www.somdnews.com/stories/09032010/entetop183727_32296.shtml |archive-date=September 10, 2012}}</ref>

After having been depressed for many decades, the river's population of [[American shad]] is currently re-bounding as a result of the [[ICPRB]]'s successful "American Shad Restoration Project" that was begun in 1995. In addition to stocking the river with more than 22 million shad fry, the Project supervised the construction of a fishway that was built to facilitate the passage of adults around the Little Falls Dam on the way to their traditional spawning grounds upstream.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.potomacriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/shadfs.pdf |title=THE POTOMAC RIVER AMERICAN SHAD RESTORATION PROJECT  |date=March 2014 |website=www.potomacriver.org |publisher=[[Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin]] |access-date=February 26, 2018 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930153116/https://www.potomacriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/shadfs.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Freshwater fish of the Potomac River
|-
|
<blockquote>

==== Bowfin ([[Amiidae]]) ====
*[[Bowfin]] ''Amia calva''

==== Catfishes ([[Ictaluridae]]) ====
*[[White bullhead|White bullhead catfish]] ''Ameiurus catus''
*[[Yellow bullhead|Yellow bullhead catfish]] ''Ameiurus natalis''
*[[Brown bullhead|Brown bullhead catfish]] ''Ameiurus nebulosus''
*[[Channel catfish]] ''Ictalurus punctatus''
*[[Tadpole madtom]] ''Noturus gyrinus''
*[[Noturus insignis|Margined madtom]] ''Noturus insignis''
*[[Blue catfish]]*''Ictalurus furcatus''*
*[[Flathead catfish]]*''Pylodictis olivaris''*

==== Eels ([[Anguillidae]]) ====
*[[American eel]] ''Anguilla rostrata''

==== Gars ([[Lepisosteidae]]) ====
*[[Longnose gar]] ''Lepisosteus osseus''

==== Herrings ([[Clupeidae]]) ====
*[[Blueback herring]] ''Alosa aestivalis''
*[[Hickory shad]] ''Alosa mediocris''
*[[alewife (fish)|Alewife]] ''Alosa pseudoharengus''
*[[American shad]] ''Alosa sapidissima''
*[[American gizzard shad|Gizzard shad]] ''Dorosoma cepedianum''
*[[Threadfin shad]] ''Dorosoma petenense''

==== Killifishes ([[Fundulidae]]) ====
*[[Banded killifish]] ''Fundulus diaphanus''
*[[Mummichog|Mummichog killifish]] ''Fundulus heteroclitus''
*[[Spotfin killifish]] ''Fundulus luciae''
*[[Striped killifish]] ''Fundulus majalis''
*[[Rainwater killifish]] ''Lucania parva''

==== Pupfish ([[Cyprinodontidae]]) ====
*[[Sheepshead minnow]] ''Cyprinodon variegatus''

==== Lampreys ([[Petromyzontidae]]) ====
*[[Least brook lamprey]] ''Lampetra aepyptera''
*[[American brook lamprey]] ''Lampetra appendix''
*[[Sea lamprey]] ''Petromyzon marinus''

==== Minnows ([[Cyprinidae]]) ====
*[[Central stoneroller]] ''Campostoma anomalum''
*[[Goldfish]] ''Carassius auratus''
*[[Redside dace]] ''Clinostomus elongatus''
*[[Rosyside dace]] ''Clinostomus funduloides''
*[[Grass carp]] ''Ctenopharyngodon idella''
*[[Satinfin shiner]] ''Cyprinella analostana''
*[[Spotfin shiner]] ''Cyprinella spiloptera''
*[[Common carp]] ''Cyprinus carpio''
*[[Cutlips minnow]] ''Exoglossum maxillingua''
*[[Eastern silvery minnow]] ''Hybognathus regius''
*[[Striped shiner]] ''Luxilus chrysocephalus''
*[[Common shiner]] ''Luxilus cornutus''
*[[Allegheny pearl dace]] ''Margariscus margarita''
*[[River chub]] ''Nocomis micropogon''
*[[Golden shiner]] ''Notemigonus crysoleucas''
*[[Comely shiner]] ''Notropis amoenus''
*[[Emerald shiner]] ''Notropis atherinoides''
*[[Bridle shiner]] ''Notropis bifrenatus''
*[[Silverjaw minnow]] ''Notropis buccatus''
*[[Ironcolor shiner]] ''Notropis chalybaeus''
*[[Spottail shiner]] ''Notropis hudsonius''
*[[Swallowtail shiner]] ''Notropis procne''
*[[Rosyface shiner]] ''Notropis rubellus''
*[[Bluntnose minnow]] ''Pimephales notatus''
*[[Fathead minnow]] ''Pimephales promelas''
*[[Eastern blacknose dace]] ''Rhinichthys atratulus''
*[[Longnose dace]] ''Rhinichthys cataractae''
*[[Creek chub]] ''Semotilus atromaculatus''
*[[Fallfish]] ''Semotilus corporalis''
*[[Bluehead chub]] ''Nocomis leptocephalus''
*[[Mimic shiner]] ''Notropis volucellus''

==== Mudminnows ([[Umbridae]]) ====
*[[Eastern mudminnow]] ''Umbra pygmaea''

==== Perches ([[Percidae]]) ====
*[[Greenside darter]] ''Etheostoma blennioides''
*[[Rainbow darter]] ''Etheostoma caeruleum''
*[[Fantail darter]] ''Etheostoma flabellare''
*[[Swamp darter]] ''Etheostoma fusiforme''
*[[Johnny darter]] ''Etheostoma nigrum''
*[[Tessellated darter]] ''Etheostoma olmstedi''
*[[Glassy darter]] ''Etheostoma vitreum''
*[[Etheostoma zonale|Banded darter]] ''Etheostoma zonale''
*[[Yellow perch]] ''Perca flavescens''
*[[Common logperch]] ''Percina caprodes''
*[[Stripeback darter]] ''Percina notogramma''
*[[Shield darter]] ''Percina peltata''
*[[Walleye]] ''Sander vitreum''

==== Percopsids ([[Percopsidae]]) ====
*[[Trout-perch]] ''Percopsis omiscomaycus''

==== Pikes ([[Esocidae]]) ====
*[[Redfin pickerel]] ''Esox americanus''
*[[Northern pike]] ''Esox lucius''
*[[Muskellunge]] ''Esox masquinongy''
*[[Chain pickerel]] ''Esox niger''

==== Pirate perch ([[Aphredoderidae]]) ====
*[[Pirate perch]] ''Aphredoderus sayanus''

==== Poeciliids ([[Poeciliidae]]) ====
*[[Eastern mosquitofish]] ''Gambusia holbrooki''
*[[Guppy]] ''Poecilia reticulata''

==== Pupfish ([[Cyprinodontidae]]) ====
*[[Sheepshead minnow]] ''Cyprinodon variegatus''

==== Sculpins ([[Cottidae]]) ====
*[[Mottled sculpin]] ''Cottus bairdii''
*[[Blue Ridge sculpin]] ''Cottus caeruleomentum''
*[[Potomac sculpin]] ''Cottus girardi''

==== Silversides ([[Atherinopsidae]]) ====
*[[Inland silverside]] ''Menidia beryllina''

==== Smelts ([[Osmeridae]]) ====
*[[Rainbow smelt]] ''Osmerus mordax''

==== Snakeheads ([[Channidae]]) ====
*[[Snakehead (fish)|Northern snakehead]]*''Channa argus''*

==== Sturgeons ([[Acipenseridae]]) ====
*[[Shortnose sturgeon]] ''Acipenser brevirostrum''
*[[Atlantic sturgeon]] ''Acipenser oxyrhinchus''

==== Suckers ([[Catostomidae]]) ====
*[[Quillback]] ''Carpiodes cyprinus''
*[[White sucker]] ''Catostomus commersoni''
*[[Creek chubsucker]] ''Erimyzon oblongus''
*[[Northern hogsucker]] ''Hypentelium nigricans''
*[[Golden redhorse]] ''Moxostoma erythrurum''
*[[Shorthead redhorse]] ''Moxostoma macrolepidotum''
*[[Thoburnia rhothoeca|Torrent sucker]] ''Thoburnia rhothoeca''

==== Sunfishes ([[Centrarchidae]]) ====
*[[Mud sunfish]] ''Acantharcus pomotis''
*[[Rock bass]] ''Amblopites rupestris''
*[[Flier (fish)|Flier sunfish]] ''Centrarchus macropterus''
*[[Enneacanthus chaetodon|Blackbanded sunfish]] ''Enneacanthus chaetodon''
*[[Bluespotted sunfish]] ''Enneacanthus gloriosus''
*[[Banded sunfish]] ''Enneacanthus obesus''
*[[Redbreast sunfish]] ''Lepomis auritus''
*[[Green sunfish]] ''Lepomis cyanellus''
*[[Pumpkinseed|Pumpkinseed sunfish]] ''Lepomis gibbosus''
*[[Warmouth|Warmouth sunfish]] ''Lepomis gulosus''
*[[Bluegill|Bluegill sunfish]] ''Lepomis macrochirus''
*[[Longear sunfish]] ''Lepomis megalotis''
*[[Redear sunfish]] ''Lepomis microlophus''
*[[Smallmouth bass]] ''Micropterus dolomieu''
*[[Largemouth bass]] ''Micropterus salmoides''
*[[White crappie]] ''Pomoxis annularis''
*[[Black crappie]] ''Pomoxis nigromaculatus''

==== Temperate basses ([[Moronidae]]) ====
*[[White perch]] ''Morone americana''
*[[Striped bass]] ''Morone saxatilis''

==== Trout and whitefish ([[Salmonidae]]) ====
*[[Rainbow trout]] (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'')
*[[Brown trout]] (''Salmo trutta'')

</blockquote>

&nbsp;&nbsp;*denotes naturalized species;

Sources:
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070509065631/http://www.dnr.state.md.us/streams/pubs/fishkey_2003.pdf Dnr.state.md: Fish key of native species]
*http://www.potomacriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MasterFreshFishList0213.pdf

|}

<!-- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -->
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|-
! Tidal freshwater fish of the Potomac River
|-
| <blockquote>

==== Mullets ([[Mugilidae]]) ====
[[Striped mullet]] ''Mugil cephalus''

==== Drums ([[Sciaenidae]]) ====
[[Spot (fish)|Spot]] ''Leiostomus xanthurus''

[[Spotted seatrout]] ''Cynoscion nebulosus''

[[Atlantic Croaker]] ''Micropogonias undulatus''

[[Red drum]] ''Sciaenops ocellata''

==== Soles ([[Soleidae]]) ====
[[Hogchoker]] ''Trinectes maculatus''

==== Sharks ([[Carcharhinidae]]) ====
[[Bull shark]] ''Carcharhinus leucas''

</blockquote>

Sources:
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070509065631/http://www.dnr.state.md.us/streams/pubs/fishkey_2003.pdf Dnr.state.md: Fish key of native species]
*http://www.potomacriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/MasterFreshFishList0213.pdf

|}