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<br />Given the above cautions, there is a term called "conservation aquaculture" or <br />"conservation reintroduction" (Anders 1998, Brown and Day 2002). Conservation <br />aquaculture is the use of aquaculture for conservation and recovery of endangered fish <br />populations. Its goal is to conserve wild fish populations and their locally adapted gene <br />pools, including the characteristic phenotypes and behaviors (Anders 1998). In theory, <br />it differs from standard hatchery production practices that traditionally focus on <br />production of large numbers of fish. Conservation aquaculture is considered justified by <br />some when fish populations in the wild become too small (i.e., when Ne in the wild <br />becomes too small; Anders 1998). However, this potential for gain is accompanied by <br />genetic and behavioral risks to the wild population. Ideally, conservation aquaculture <br />should be performed before populations in the wild reach critically low levels (i.e., low <br />Ne). The practice should be complimentary (rather than in lieu of) other conservation <br />measures designed to improve seriously degraded habitat (Anders 1998). Furthermore, <br />if hatchery programs ignore the risks associated with aquaculture (inbreeding <br />depression, domestication selection, disease, etc.), failure is certain (Brannon 1993, <br />Anders 1998). <br /> <br />Conservation aquaculture should (in theory and in practice) reduce common risks <br />associated with standard hatchery procedures, such as competitive feeding behaviors, <br />reduced growth rates, domestication selection, and increased incidence to disease <br />(Anders 1998). Brown and Day (2002) discuss some specific techniques that can be <br />used to overcome some of these problems, including environmental enrichment, life <br />skills training, and soft release protocols. Basically, these techniques are used to <br />overcome ethological (behavioral) problems rather than genetic problems. <br /> <br />Fish that are held in captivity for a substantial portion of their lives are removed from <br />natural learning experience that would ordinarily be gained in the wild. Consequently, <br />their behavior can be altered in ways that severely impact survivorship and ability to <br />reproduce upon release into the wild (Brown and Day 2002). The most important <br />effects appear to be lack of development of anti-predator responses (Vincent 1960, Olla <br />et al. 1998, Brown and Day 2002), lack of ability to feed efficiently (Ersbak and Haase <br />1983, Brown and Day 2002), and reduced reproductive performance (Jonsson et al. <br />1990, Fleming et al. 1997). For instance, early life experience for migrating salmon has <br />been shown to be important for ascending their natal river to spawn (Hasler and Scholz <br />1983, Hansen and Jonsson 1994, Jonsson et al. 1994), and for locating breeding sites <br />(Jonsson et al. 1990). These types of effects might be particularly relevant to <br />humpback chub in Grand Canyon, since a large portion of the population migrates <br />(Valdez and RyeI1995). <br /> <br />To offset some of these concerns, conservationists are calling for an interface between <br />ecology and behavior, particularly in reintroduction biology (Olney et al. 1994, <br />Clemmens and Buchholz 1997, Caro 1999a,b, Gosling and Sutherland 2000). Olla et <br />al. (1994, 1998) suggested it is critical for hatcheries to implement methodologies that <br />improve post-release survival. Brown and Day (2002) suggest that environmental <br />enrichment, pre-release training programs, and soft release protocols can assist in <br />making fish more ecologically viable once release occurs. Environmental enrichment <br /> <br />15 <br />