The Environmental Journal of Southern Appalachia
Thursday, 18 May 2023 18:29

David Etnier, a legendary chronicler and advocate for lesser-known regional fish, dies at 84

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David EtnierCourtesy JR Shute

Etnier left behind a legacy of research and ambitious students

KNOXVILLE Dr. David Etnier, a professor at the University of Tennessee internationally known for his research on freshwater fishes and caddis flies, died May 17 at the age of 84.

Etnier, known as “Ets” to his students, joined the UT faculty in 1965 and retired in 2001. Three aquatic insect species he helped discover are named after him, and those are just three of the more than 410 insect species he helped discover.

He collected over 300 fish specimens and cowrote “The Fishes of Tennessee” with former student Dr. Wayne Starnes. UT describes Etnier’s collection as the beginning of the University of Tennessee Etnier Ichthyological Collection, which bears his name and houses 450,000 fish specimens.

He found a snail darter above the proposed Tellico Dam in 1973, which delayed but did not prevent the dam’s construction. 

J.R. Shute, co-founder and board member of Conservation Fisheries Inc., shared his thoughts in a Facebook post and an interview with Hellbender Press.

Shute studied under Etnier from 1981 to 1984. He called his teacher the greatest contributor to “fish knowledge” in the Southeast and complimented him for his “wonderful dry sense of humor.”

Shute plans to receive the Conservationist of the Year Award in Nashville from the Tennessee Wildlife Commission on behalf of his mentor on May 19.

“He’s one of the last great naturalists, at least as far as ones associated with universities,” Shute said.
While he said that his teacher is best known for the snail darter, Shute said Etnier’s students are a major legacy, too.

“He has left behind a legacy of hundreds of students and their students,” Shute said, adding many went on to work at state agencies or teach across the country. “He was a great friend and he’s going to be missed by so many people.”

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Last modified on Sunday, 21 May 2023 00:06