8174

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8174
• Author: Martinez, P. J.
• Title: West Slope Warmwater Fisheries.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: \
• Copyright Material: NO

this species will be at the expense of another sport fish in that reservoir on in a downstream reservoir. While
this replacement of one sport fish with another may not offend all anglers, these actions become even more
serious when the illicit introduction results in nonnative predators escaping into riverine habitat where they
become detrimental to native or endangered fish species.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is facing even greater challenges in its fish management
responsibilities as it tries to maintain a balance with its license buying public and its other constituents who
wish to see all aquatic wildlife afforded management attention and protection. It is in this greater arena of
public concern for Colorado's unique and magnificent aquatic resources where the ethics associated with
illicit introductions will become problematic for all of the State's anglers. These illegal fish transfers are
indefensible in any concept or framework of aquatic conservation and they can pose a serious threat to natural
ecosystems.
Eventually, if these illegal, transfers do not stop, opposition to the management of nonnative
predators may result as concern about their uncontrolled spread increases among anglers and non-anglers
alike. The illegal transfer of fishes creates an image blemish for anglers which may, in the long run, begin to
erode broad public support for angling recreation in general. if the problem of illicit introductions continues,
or worse, becomes more widespread, the Colorado Division of Wildlife may be faced with implementing even
stricter measures to curtail this reprehensible activity.
Action 1v CDOW to combat illicit fish introductions
Increasingly, these unauthorized fish transfers have become intolerable in the State's overall fishery .?
management strategy. In the past, the Division of Wildlife has provided information to anglers directing them
to the angling opportunities provided by fisheries which have resulted from illicit introductions. However,
more than ever, it is highly inconsistent with CDOW's missions to manage both sport fish and native fishes to
continue to promote any illicitly or inadvertently (via escapement or erroneous stocking) established fisheries,
no matter how high profile and popular they may become.
New strategies must be employed to combat these illegal transfers of nonnative sport fish. These
actions may include the suspension of bag and possession limits for fish species illicitly introduced into
public waters. For some waters, it may become necessary to reduce the numbers of illicitly introduced
predators to minimize their harmful effects on sport or native fishes. Additional enforcement efforts in key
areas to combat nonnative fish stocking may require setting up random road or boat ramp blocks, similar to
hunter check stations, to inspect boat live-wells and other receptacles that might be used to transport live fish.
The message about live transport of fish being illegal must be delivered to the public. This concept alone
may reduce non premeditated fish transfers whereby fish are transported live, and released elsewhere to avoid
or minimize cleaning.
In highly sensitive areas, complete eradication of existing fish populations may be required to
eliminate the illegally introduced fish species. This action, involving considerable expense to remove the
existing fish population, could be followed up with restocking of those fish species that are part of the water's
fishery management plan. If an illicit introduction reinfests the newly reclaimed water, eradication and
restocking may have to be repeated. These management activities place additional strain on management
dollars, most of which comes from license revenues, which might have been used for other purposes.
CDOW should also clarify within the angler education programs the meaning of resource
"conservation". Potential is great for angler confusion as conservation ethics clash in situations where the
Master Angler Award program recognizes catch-and-release of "trophy-sized" fishes (Knox 1997) originating
from illicit introduction, or established within Critical Habitat via escapement from impoundments. Would
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