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Mummichogs are small
fish—reaching only 4 to 6 inches in length— that are plentiful along
the bottom of the Elizabeth River. Unlike many fish that migrate great
distances, the mummichog travels only about 50 yards in its
lifetime.
Because it stays put,
the minnow is a reliable "indicator species" for gauging
contamination impacts in a specific waterway.
The Elizabeth
River Project's Watershed Action Plan names the mummichog as the
fish for scientists to watch in determining the success of efforts to
clean up toxics in the river sediments.
Look for this fish in
shallow water. Females are silvery-gray; males, olive with white spots
in breeding season.
The "chog" is
food for better known species such as striped bass, bluefish, red drum
and trout, as well as wading birds such as egrets and herons
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