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Results and Discussion <br />Distribution and Abundance <br />River-wide catch rates were fairly high in all four rivers during 1993 compared with most years <br />of ISMP data (Figures 9, 10, 11, 12; Table B-1). Mean CPE declined somewhat in the Colorado and <br />Green rivers, but river-wide catch rates were still the second and third highest values (respectively) <br />observed in the two rivers since ISMP began. Mean CPE in the Yampa River was the second highest <br />value observed since monitoring began in 1986; however, it was only slightly higher than observed in <br />1991 and 1992. In the White River, mean CPE was the highest value observed since monitoring <br />began. However, the last 5 years of data have been very comparable (McAda et al. 1994). In <br />general, the sustained high catch rates in all four rivers suggest more subadult and adult Colorado <br />squawfish in the upper basin than when the monitoring program began. <br />Size Distribution <br />The size distribution in the Green and Colorado rivers continues to reflect a large group of <br />subadult fish that are nearing adult size (Figure 13; Table B-2, B-3). Using 5-cm length groups, the <br />highest percentage of fish collected in the Green and Colorado rivers were between 35 and 40 cm <br />long. Size distributions of Colorado squawfish from both rivers also indicate a substantial number of <br />smaller fish as well. The median length of all fish collected from both rivers has been steadily <br />increasing as a large cohort produced in 1986 has been growing in length (Figures B-1, B-2) and <br />preparing to enter the adult population. <br />Most fish collected from the Yampa and White rivers are adults, but both rivers also contain a <br />high percentage of subadult and young adult-size fish. Size distributions and median length of fish <br />collected from these two rivers have been relatively constant since ISMP began (Figures B-3, B-4). <br />This constant size distribution suggests slow, but regular recruitment into the adult populations of the <br />two rivers and the entire upper basin. <br />SymQatric Species <br />Native Species-Razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus was only collected from Reach 3 in the <br />Green River (Table B-4). Three individuals were captured there, compared with two individuals in <br />1992 and three in 1991. Twelve or more razorbacks were collected from the Green River during <br />ISMP sampling from 1986-1990 (McAda et al. 1994). Two humpback chubs and six roundtail chubs <br />were collected from the Colorado River in Utah (Table B-4). One roundtail chub was collected from <br />the Green River. Roundtail chubs are common in the rivers in Colorado sampled during ISMP and <br />are not recorded by the collecting crews. <br />Introduced Species-Northern pike Esox lucius continued to be observed in relatively high <br />numbers in the Yampa and upper Green Rivers (Table B~). A total of 23 northern pike were <br />observed in the upper Green and 29 were observed in the Yampa River. These numbers compare <br />with nine in the Green and 70 in the Yampa during 1992. Twenty-six smallmouth bass Micropterus <br />dolomieui were collected from the Green River and 14 were col[ected from the Yampa River (Table <br />B-4). These values reflect a decrease from higher numbers of bass observed in earlier years of ISMP <br />(McAda et al. 1994). <br />11 <br />