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State and Federal agencies in the United States have legislative commitments under the Endangered Species Act; ho~ever, political and environmental issues regarding restoration are often poorly defined, complex, and controversial, especially if they threaten further land or water development. Administrative processes within recovery programs are often plagued with inaction justified by uncertainty, inadequate resources and conflicting management objectives, leading to slow or ineffective recovery programs (Rohlf 1991, Tear et al. 1993). The ramifications are that short-lived species disappear and longer-lived species like the razorback sucker become fleeting reminders of ecosystem dismantlement. Deacon and Minckley (1991) pointed out that technology and resources are normally available to sustain or replace endangered populations. The critical question is whether the affected agencies have the political conviction to do so. We found that agencies and special interest groups support an active endangered species program as long as the effort does not unreasonably conflict with their management objectives. Any major conflict would demand formal coordination, consultation, and, most importantly, time necessary for resolution. Quite often the restoration programs get tied up in litigation between government agencies and special interest groups. Limited resources are diverted toward litigation and political positioning while environmental resources continue to decline. At Lake Mohave, we recognized that time and conflict were our greatest enemies. The old, relict population was near extinction. We concluded our best chance to implement a restoration project was through an active stocking and continued management program. We were confident that stocking 30-cm razorback suckers was feasible, but we had to identify where, by whom, and how these fish were going to be raised. No one agency volunteered the funds or facilities, so it became a cooperative effort. The program that evolved from the NFWG capitalized on available resources and opportunities. Mitochondrial DNA studies have shown the reservoir population is composed of direct descendants of a very large, diverse population that inhabited the river prior to impoundment (Dowling et al. 1996). By collecting naturally-spawned sucker larvae, we are maintaining the genetic diversity of this wild population. Rearing fish in local backwaters is an economical alternative to more costly hatchery production. It also reduces transportation costs while acclimating fish to local conditions. This stocking approach is working and is being adopted at other locations. Engineering can create artificial streams and repair or duplicate some of the physical hydraulic processes required in a healthy stream system. Biologists, on the other hand, can stock and manage specific fish populations. However, we are less able to repair, let alone fully understand, the complex interactions associated with large river ecosystems. While legislation may mandate recovery or restoration, attempts may, or may not, be feasible depending upon economic, political, or technical constraints (Johnson 1977, Wydoski 1977). It therefore seems logical that resource managers should first attempt to salvage and prevent the further loss of plant, animal, or fish communities. Large-scale attempts to restore natural ecosystems have generally been unsuccessful. Consideration must be given to more proactive, conservation management approaches and philosophies to prevent the continued loss of these populations and ecosystem components (Miller 1982). Ten or fifteen-year restoration programs in themselves are simply inadequate. Preservation, maintenance, or restoration of river ecosystems will require a continued management commitment from society. REFERENCES Brooks, J.E. et. al.(1985) : Reintroduction and monitoring of razorback sucker In the lower Colorado River basin. Pre. WDAFS 65, pp203. Burdick, B.D.(l992) : A plan to evaluate stocking to augment or restore razorback sucker in the upper Colorado River. USFWS, CRFP, Grand Junction, Colorado, USA.