The veracity of any biological monitoring or ecological assessment program is deeply dependent on the identifications of each observed individual organism. Fish assessments are often constrained to field identifications due to permitting or IACUC requirements, as well as logistical and/or financial considerations. Field identifications of live fishes pose a suite of challenges that can compromise data integrity, and can be dependent on lighting, weather, flopping fish, damaged fins, absence of nuptial coloration or tuberculation, or many other factors. We have been developing an online, photo-based approach for assessing proficiency in identification of freshwater fishes. Our goal is to eventually provide a series of state-specific exams that complement those currently used by the Society for Freshwater Science Taxonomic Certification Program (SFS-TCP) for freshwater macroinvertebrates and diatoms. As with the macroinvertebrate and diatom assessments, these will be administered by the SFS-TCP and Stroud Water Research Center, with integrated engagement by taxonomic specialists from across the US. To date we have amassed and curated a library of high-quality images covering 620 (63%) of the roughly 980 species occurring in the U.S., and classified species into categories of rarity and taxonomic difficulty to allow for stratified randomization of species occurring within a state to individual exams. We will discuss the overall status of this program, challenges and opportunities as we move forwards, and will have demo exams available at the poster session for review.