[Nelumbo74]

Our freshwater mussels are not only the most overlooked and underappreciated of our native fauna, they are disappearing faster than most species in the U.S. Tenessee, my home state, has recorded at least 150 of the 300 known species in the U.S. We have the second-most diverse account of species next to Alabama. At least 40 species are on the Federal Endangered Species List, and many are already extinct or extirpated. Others can only be found in one or two isolated locations in the state. These creatures are one of the most critical indicator species for water quality, and truly deserve our appreciation.

 

[Nelumbo74]

In california, we're trained to hate freshwater mussels...especially the zebra variety. It's amazing how fast they grow. One of my local fishing spots went from zero population to where you can pick up some mussels by simply dragging your lure across the floor.

That's unfortunate. You should be trained to hate ONLY the zebra mussel, because it is an introduced, destructive, invasive species from Russia. Our native freshwater mussels are a very important part of our environment.