8231

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8231
• Author: Maddux, H. R.
• Title: Draft Environmental Assessment For Procedures For Stocking Of Nonnative Fish Species In The Upper Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1996.
• USFW - Doc Type: Grand Junction, CO.
• Copyright Material: NO

the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Because warmwater fishing in
Colorado represents a small percentage of the total fishing. overall
numbers of fishing days are unlikely to decrease significantly.
3. Recovery of Endangered Fishes: The reduction of nonnative fishes
escaping into the river would decrease, somewhat, competition with and
predation on the endangered fishes. Survival of eggs, larvae. and
juveniles of the endangered fishes would slightly increase. External
sources of nonnative fishes would no longer compound recovery efforts.
Other recovery actions would exhibit measurable positive responses in
the endangered fish populations. A
4. Economy: The case-by-case review would increase the workload of
State and Federal wildlife agencies in preparing and reviewing all
future stockings. Plan preparation for private ponds would increase
cost to either the States or property owners seeking to create private
fisheries. This alternative may reduce fishing expenditures by some
unknown amount. As an example, if future warmwater fishing
opportunities are reduced by 20 surface acres, assuming 100 days
fishing/acre at $40/day expenditure, the direct economic impact could be
$80,000/year; if reduced by 100 surface acres the direct impact would be
$400,000/year.
C. Alternative 2.
1. Aquatic Biological Resources: The abundance of nonnative
top-of-the-line predatory fishes, in the Upper Basin rivers containing
endangered fishes, would decrease. Chances of escapement would be
reduced for flows less than the 100-year flow event. Nonnative fishes
would still occur between the 50- and 100-year floodplain, however, they
would be in ponds bermed and screened to prevent escapement up to the
100-year event. Some nonnatives would still occur in private ponds that
are not volunteered for reclamation. Certain species could not be
stocked within the basin. Nongame nonnative fishes with established
riverine populations would continue to be a major problem.
2. Recreation: Recreational opportunities in Utah and Wyoming would be
unaffected by this alternative, except that new ponds to be stocked with
largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie would have to be outside
the 50-year floodplain. In Colorado, future private ponds below the 50-
year floodplain wishing to have fishing would have to purchase trout
rather than warmwater fishes from the aquaculture industry. Ponds would
probably not be suitable for trout during summer months. Fishing in
private ponds would be concentrated during spring and fall months.
Private ponds below the 50-year floodplain that currently have warmwater
fishing would retain it, unless they voluntarily allowed their pond to
be reclaimed. If their warmwater fishery collapsed for some reason, the
pond could only be restocked with trout. If the same level of warmwater
fishing opportunities in Colorado are to be maintained, Colorado and the
Recovery Program would have to seek opportunities elsewhere. This might
include agreements with entities such as water districts that own waters
not currently available to the public for fishing. Most of Colorado's
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