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FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A SPORT FISHERY IN THE SALT RIVER PROJECT CANALS activities along the SRP canal system. This agreement authorized issuance of permits to municipalities to allow development of right-of- ways along the canal banks for public recreational use. Scottsdale, Arizona, designated the bank area between Pima and Hayden roads as a multiple-use river-walk (Salt River Pro). 1993). This area has become a popular path for walking, jogging, bicycling, and horseback riding. These activities are prevalent along much of the SRP canal system. In recent years, multiple-use of the canals has received greater interest as evidenced by community development projects in Scottsdale, Glendale, Sunnyslope, Chandler, Gilbert, and the formation of citizen advocacy groups. Salt River Project has been reluctant to encourage fishing in the canals due to liability concerns. However before a canal sport fishery can be considered or promoted, public safety and liability issues must be resolved. Fishing in the SRP canals is widespread albeit at low levels. A statewide fishing license is required to fish the canals. These waters are not managed for sport fishery and, therefore, are not stocked with game fish (except for research purposes). Those resident game fish found in the SRP canals originate from the Salt and Verde rivers above the Granite Reef Diversion Dam. For approximately 6 years, SRP has stocked sterile white amurs (Ctenopharyngodon idealla) in some canal segments to control aquatic vegetation which impedes water flow. Annually, SRP stocks about 1,500 white amurs to maintain stable populations and by March 1994, had stocked about 18,000 white amurs in 118 km of canals. By using the amurs, SRP has reduced the amount of herbicides applied in the canals. A steering committee composed of research and management personnel from AGFD and SRP was formed to identify the information needed to assess the feasibility of developing and maintaining a sport fishery in the SRP canals. Two goals of R R. WRIGHTANDI A. SORENSEN 1995 ARIZONA GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT, TECH. REP. 18 3 Figure 1. Major SRP canals and urban fishing lakes of the Phoenix metropolitan area.