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<br />More than 65 percent
<br />report positive attitudes
<br />toward fish recovery
<br />
<br />SURVEY, from 1
<br />
<br />port for protecting the environment,"
<br />Hami II said. ','That these fish species
<br />are endangered indicates the quality of
<br />the environment is deteriorating. By
<br />protecting the fish, we're alsD helping
<br />to reverse that trend."
<br />The program is designed t.o recover
<br />endangered, fish whileproviding fDr
<br />cDntinued water development in the
<br />basin.
<br />The university's research tearn col-
<br />lected the data last year through a tele-
<br />phone survey' of residents of western
<br />Colorado and eastern Utah. Of.the 897
<br />respondents, l68were elected local offi- '
<br />cials, 300 were anglers, 125 were mem,
<br />bers of environmental groups, and 304
<br />were members, .of the general public.
<br />Jerry Vaske, an associate profess Dr
<br />in natural resourc~s, recreation - and
<br />tourism at CSU,wrote the report,'and
<br />said the results are significant in their
<br />endorsement 'of recovery efforts for'
<br />endangered fish.
<br />"Our survey results show there is
<br />considerable support for the aCtions
<br />these agencies are engaged in to save ,
<br />these fish," Vaske said.
<br />In the early 1900s, the ColDrado
<br />squawfish, bonytail, humpback chub
<br />and razorback sucker, were cDinmon in
<br />the upper Colorado River basin. The
<br />Colorado squawfish was the top preda-
<br />tor among the four. Sometimes referred,
<br />to as "ColDrado River salmDn," this fish .
<br />'is known for migrating up to 200 miles,
<br />to spawn. Squawfish are, capable, of
<br />growing to 6 feet in, length and 80
<br />pounds in weight; they once wete high-
<br />ly regarded by anglers.
<br />But growth encroached on the fish- ,
<br />es' habitat. Dams' and diversions
<br />altered noimal stream flDWS ,and pro-
<br />hibited migration. Non-native ,fish
<br />such as catfish, northern pike, red shin-
<br />ers and fathead ,minnows were intro-
<br />duced to the rivers, where they turned
<br />
<br />Support forefIorts to recover endangered fish (by group)
<br />
<br />
<br />Elected Officials
<br />
<br />,General Public
<br />
<br />Anglers
<br />
<br />, ;~~III!~~i~iili~li
<br />
<br />'Enviro~~n;:1 Illi!rIJffi!~!ll!'~~Il~~~";l!III~I~
<br />
<br />82%
<br />
<br />,Percent indicating support
<br />
<br />At 82 percent, envirenmental group members shDwed the greatest support
<br />for efforts te recover endangered fish. Next was the general public at 70 per- ,
<br />cent, then anglers at 61 percent, and elected officials at 60 percent.
<br />
<br />to the eggs' and young of endangered
<br />fish for food. Now, without prDtecting
<br />and restoring their historic habitat, the
<br />four species of endangered fish cDuld
<br />'become lost forever, accDrding .1.0 the
<br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ,
<br />'The survey results indicate thepub-
<br />lic dDes not want that to happen. AIDng
<br />,with'specificaliy supporting recovery
<br />, efforts, 66 percent of those contacted
<br />voiced a "positive attitude" toward
<br />saving endangered fish. Twenty-one
<br />percent' were opposed to such efforts,
<br />'and I3 percent had nD 'opinion.
<br />Eighty-one percenlof thDse sur-
<br />veyed agreed with the statement that
<br />the. ColoradD' squawfish, 'bony tail,
<br />humpback chub and razorback 'sucker
<br />should be saved because "recovering
<br />endangered fish' is as imponant as
<br />recovering endangered birds and mam-
<br />malsf' Seventy-three percent agreed
<br />the fish should be recovered because
<br />they "help t.o maintain ,balance in
<br />nature," and 72 percent agreed "endan-
<br />'gered fish should be recovered when-
<br />ever possible." ThirtY'eight percent
<br />thought the fish should be recovered so
<br />'they "cDuld becDme sport-fish that
<br />anglers could catch:" ,
<br />,Seventy-five percent .of the respon-
<br />dents' thought stocking non-native fish
<br />in the river basin should be permitted
<br />
<br />2
<br />
<br />only if it does not harm endangered
<br />native fish. ' '
<br />OvelWhelming majorities of elect-
<br />ed officials, anglers, envirDnmentalists
<br />and representatives of the general pub-
<br />lic thought endangered fish have a
<br />right to live in the river basin if they
<br />can be recovered. That .opinion was
<br />expressed by 98 percent of the ,envi~ '
<br />ronmentalists, 95 percent.of both the
<br /><l!'glers and general public and 88 per-
<br />cent of elected officials. '
<br />, ' Just 29 perceht of those surVeyed,
<br />, said the existence of endangered 'fish
<br />was,nDt important to them, 'while 76
<br />percent thought it was valuable to have
<br />self~sustaining populations .of the fish.
<br />'Monetary ,issues were not "overly'
<br />significant to those surveyed.
<br />Fifty~one percent disagreed with the
<br />statement, "Given the economic 'prDb..
<br />lems facing our country, it makes little
<br />sense to spend money on 'programs to
<br />help save endangered fish.",..
<br />Support' fDr recovery efforts may
<br />indicate the value the public places on
<br />a sound environment, HaITii II said.
<br />, "Actions that we take torecciver the.
<br />, fish have implications for water quali-
<br />ty and water quantity," he said: "In the
<br />long-run, helping to reCDver "endan-
<br />gered fish will benefit other wildlife
<br />species' as well as people."
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