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<br />Why should anyone care about <br /> <br />saving endangered fish? <br /> <br />Legal basis <br />Because these fi:-.h are so rare, they are protected by <br />Slale laws and Ihe federal Endangered Species Act. In <br />pZlssing this act. Congress was reflecting the belief <br />fhal fare species should be saved whenever possible. <br /> <br />Environmental reasons <br />H.uman lmpacl has c<lused 40 species and <br />subsf1t.:cies of fish [0 go extinct in North America this <br />century. Some biologists theorize lhal - like the <br />coal-miner's C::J.IlJry. whose death forewarns workers <br />of [oxic gases undclgroum.l - Lhc uecline of these <br />fish may be a warning thai other native species of the <br />Color:.HJo River ecosystem also are at risk. <br /> <br />SporHishing <br />Unlil the early 1900s. squawfish were the <br />Color<ldo River's lOp predator. Anglers were known <br />to CJlch these fish using mice, birds and even small <br />rabbits as bait. If the fish can be recovered. <br />tomorrow's anglers may g<J.in the chilnce to reel In <br />Colorado squowflsh weighing 15 to 20 pounds, <br /> <br />Ecosystem balance, scientific benefits <br />Scientific research has shown that losing one <br />species in an ecosystem can cause a chain reac!ion <br />affecting a series of other living Ihings. Also. [he <br />species' unique genetic material and pOlenlial <br />medical. industrial and agricultural benefits would <br />be gone forever. <br /> <br />Heritage <br />Colorado squawfish and razorback suckers <br />evolved more than 3 million years ago. Modem man <br />has existed only about 100.000 to 250.000 years, <br />These fish are pan of the West's henlage and are <br />fuund nowhere else in the world. <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />Philosophical reasons <br />As Aldo Leopold. one of the founders of the <br />tonscTva\ion movement, said, .. '" If the land <br />mechanism as a whole is good. thcn every part is <br />good, whether we understand it or not ... .. <br /> <br />What is being done to recover the endangered fish? <br /> <br /> <br />Habilal management <br />Recovery Progralll fUIlLls ine lIsed 10 idenlify <lnd <br />acquire :ldcquale in-sIre;JIll nows for Ihe fish in <br />i.lccordance with st;lte water laws &Iud inlerslale <br />compacls. Rescarch is under way 10 determine how <br />10 operille federal dallls 10 bencfitthc fish. <br /> <br />Habitat development <br />Ih:~cafl.:l1ers arc rilllJillg Wtlys 10 creale, protcct <br />and improve habitat for tile fish. Projects may <br />include developing spawning habilat ,1110 grow-ouI <br />ponds and constructing fi~h passagew..,ys or <br />"ladders" arolllHI h.lrriers. <br /> <br />Slocklng nalive fish <br />Researchers .Ire developing lechniques 10 <br />improve the survival of cll(J<lllgcretl fish raised in <br />caplivity <Iud stocked in the wild. They .1I:-ou are <br />spawning r:Ji'.OIhack Slickers to he rcintrodlll:ed to <br />lhe wild aud IIsed ill recuvery-rclalcd rescarch. <br /> <br />Non-native species and sport-fishing <br />Bio!ogisls ;lIe /l1unilorillg long-Ienn pOplJ/lIljoll <br />trends ill nalive and 110lHl:llive fish ~pccics ,lIl1l :IJC <br />sllldying cOil1pclilion hetween Ihc twu. Slocbng of <br />nOIl-nalive fish is lilllilcd 10 ;lreas where tllcre <br />appetlrs 10 he no connicl with the four nalivc fish <br />species. Information is being t1islrihuteLi 10 .lllglclS <br />\0 rcd\l.l,:c accillcn\al taking of the flsll. <br /> <br />Research, monitoring and data management <br />Recovery Progralll rescarch invulves lIl,lI"illg <br />recollllllclH.Jations on river flows, cVillllillillg the <br />genetics of fish populations frolll differcnt rivcr <br />syslellls, developing L.lcililics 10 hold !jill' fi;-,h ill <br />prolcclive ponds. cv;i1uilling hcililviO/;\1 dilll'ICllCCS <br />in halchery tlnd wild fj:-oh and es!ablishing adull <br />hrood stock for Culor;lllo sqllilwfish and razorh,lck <br />suckers. Data fmlll all slllllies ,He heing cOlllpikd ill <br />a centralized cumputer datahase. <br /> <br />t <br />l <br />; <br />, <br />1 <br /> <br />