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C7 s~~~~©~ 1 General 13ackgraur~d • • The declining numbers of some endemic Colorado River fishes is attributed to the lack of recruitment. Although some of these long lived fish species spawn successfully and produce larvae, high mortality during early life history stages reduces recruitment. Predation and competition by established self sustaining populations of non native fishes and chranie escapement from off channel impoundments are factors that have been ident~ed with increased mortality and limited recruitment. Presently the razorback sucker (Xvrauchen texanus), bonytaiZ chub (Gila elagans), and humpback chub ( ila e ha ,and Colorado squawfish (Ptyehacheilus lueius) are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. A recovery Program far endangered fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin was endorsed through a cooperative agreement by the United States Secretary of the Interior and the Governors of the states of Colorado, YVyaming, and Utah in 1988. Clue of the five major elements idented in the recovery program includes "Management of non- native species and spar~shing ". This program includes prevention and reduction of escapement of reproducing non native fish species from off channel impoundments stacked to provide spartfishing opportunities. Control o, f escapement of non native warm water fash species that are stocked in the upper Colorado River basin will reduce the potential for competition and predation on endangered fishes. Program participants identified that within the upper Colorado River basin both private and public water bodies contain and support non native fishes that present problems for endangered species recovery. The majority of standing water present within designated critical habitat is privately awned and served with fish far stacking by the commercial aquaculture industry. Surveys completed by the Calarada Department of Agriculture in 1994 indicate that the majority of warm water fish stocking activity that occurs is completed by the commercial aquaculture industry at the request of private landowners. Any policy that is developed to curtail or eliminate popular warmwater sport fish from being stocked will impact these two groups significantly. This effort is designed to ident~ the impacts to these groups, provide- recommendations that would reduce impacts and facilitate policy implementation, and to ident the number and character of private ponds potentially required for inclusion in recovery efforts for the endangered fishes of the upper Colorado-River basin.