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<br />Reader's' fomm
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />Public involvement questioned
<br />
<br />As a scientist and fisherman, I am
<br />concerned about Impacts' of the
<br />program on what many orus in west-'
<br />ern Colorado view. as our fish and
<br />wildlife resources. I noticed that your
<br />program will, be independently
<br />reviewed by nationally' and interna-
<br />tionally recognized scientists. This is.
<br />great, but aren't you forgetting the
<br />public? Is there a forum for public
<br />involv<lment in the process? After aft,
<br />we are paying the bills. '
<br />I know the program has been enact'
<br />ed because of the Congressional man-
<br />dates in the Endangered Species Act,
<br />but it seems to me that the National
<br />Environmental Policy Act also requires,
<br />that the program look into the impacts
<br />on human health and the environment.
<br />Policies such as poisoning non-native
<br />fish species could have some serious
<br />, '
<br />impacts if not approached with great
<br />care. I would be interested in finding
<br />out more about how the 'public can
<br />become involved in the process:
<br />- David Smuin
<br />Grand Junction, Cola',
<br />
<br />There are several ways the public
<br />can be and is involved in the Recovery ,
<br />Prograrn. Meetings are often held to
<br />'solicit citizens'. input ,on, courses ,oj'
<br />action that could affect the public. For
<br />'example, Jour public 'meetings were
<br />held last December in western
<br />Colorado and. eastern Utah an the
<br />draft guidelines for siocking ~on-
<br />native fish in the uppa CO/(Jrado River
<br />. Basin. A{eet.ing. a,nn~uncements were
<br />sent to local and regi.onalnewspapers.
<br />and several 'hundred flyers were
<br />mailed to members of angler andenvi-
<br />, ronmental .organizations.
<br />, Regarding the Nati.onal' Environ,
<br />mental PoliCy Act, the program will com-
<br />'ply withNEPA before taking major
<br />recovery' actions., For example, the
<br />. Bureau .of Reclamation completed NEPA
<br />compliance last year to evaluate the
<br />environmental impacts .of building a fish
<br />ladder at the Redlands Diversion Dam.
<br />To stay apprised of Rec.overy
<br />Program actions; you may want to
<br />receive a status report produced about
<br />everyfour months (iliadditi.on to this,
<br />newsletter), T.o receive ihe status' rep.ort.
<br />
<br />please write: Colorado River Recovery
<br />Program, US, Fish and Wildlife,
<br />Service, Po. Box 25486, Denver, Co.
<br />80225, or call (303) 236-2985, ext. 225.
<br />You also asked ,about "poisoning"
<br />non-native fISh species. Under the draft
<br />non-native fISh st.ocking procedures, the'
<br />'Col.orado Division of Wildlife and u.s.
<br />Fish and Wlidlife Service.would offer to
<br />,work with landowners on a voluntary
<br />basis 10 eliminaie non-native wam1wa- .
<br />tel' fish from private ponds in the 50-
<br />year flood plain near Grand Junction.
<br />The non-native fish would be
<br />removed using r.otenone, a plant deriva-
<br />tive, and the ponds could' then ,be
<br />restocked with, non-native bluegill,
<br />largemouth bass or black crappie, which
<br />appear to pose less of a risk to endan-
<br />geredjish. Biologists will use extreme,
<br />"caution to prevent rot~none from enter-
<br />, ing the river.',
<br />Rotenone is toxic to fish' but not t.o
<br />birds, mammals or people.
<br />lf you would like to comment 'on the
<br />prop.osed procedures, please contact
<br />us at the above address or phone.
<br />
<br />WETLANDS, from 6 ' ,
<br />
<br />Program biologists and on property
<br />owners themselves, Nelson said. '
<br />"We will, approach landowners and
<br />the Ute Tribe to see, if they would be
<br />willing to particip'ate, but we'll work on
<br />a 'willing participant' basis only," he,
<br />says. "Still, we're optimistic that there
<br />will be enough interest, that, we can,
<br />restore habitat to the degree necessary
<br />to bring this species back." ,
<br />Hamill agrees. "We're fortunate, in
<br />that fairly large quantities of the middle
<br />Green River system are in federal' or
<br />state ownership," he said., "there are
<br />approximately '70 landowners' with
<br />12,000 acres. Our goal is to try and
<br />
<br />Natives battle non-natives for survival
<br />As .the . restoration work advances,
<br />crews will monitor the' razorback popu-
<br />lation to see if it can survive and even
<br />,floUrish despite ,the' presence of non-
<br />native fish. This alone could be a chal-
<br />lenge for the endangered ',fish. When
<br />Modde's crew drained the wetland men:
<br />
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