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nTCr!!CCTrW <br />The purpose of this study was to determine the present distribution of the <br />four endangered fish species listed on page 2. Along with determining distri- <br />bution, additional data was to be collected on life history, habitat preferences, <br />food habits, spawning requirements, and the effects of introduced fishes. Due <br />in part to a lack of success by N.F.R.I. in 1976 to capture significant members <br />of the four species, some reliance will be placed on data collected previously <br />by the author and other recent workers in the study area. <br />Colorado Squawfish <br />A small, but apprently self-maintaining population of Colorado squawfish <br />is scattered throughout the Colorado River portion of the study ai=ea. 5quaw- <br />fish were readily captured in the Colorado section of the Colorado River in <br />1975 (Kidd 1975)(Sethaleri,1975) but were almost nonexistant in catches by <br />N.F.R.I. in 1976. To the author's knowledge, no sampling of the Utah section <br />of the Colorado River took place in 1975. However, in 1976, with a very <br />limited number of samples, four squawfish were taken. The sampling period was <br />too short, and the capture of only four squawfish is not sufficient for any <br />definitive statement on relative numbers. <br />No squawfish were taken in the Gunnison River portion of the study area in <br />spite of an intensive and directed effort to do so. Historically, Colorado <br />squawfish were fairly common in the Delta, Colorado area of the Gunnison River <br />up to the late 1950's, according to Mr. Ralph Vernon of Delta, Colorado. Mr. <br />Vernon commercially fished the Gunnison River from approximately 1925 to the <br />early 1950's. Mr. Vernon feels that agricultural practices such as damming <br />and diverting the smaller tributaries affected the squawfish populations most <br />deterimentally by cutting off their spawning access. <br />(29)