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f nlnrarln portion of tho S`idV aroa <br />The Colorado River, from DeBeque, Colorado,to Westwater, Utah, seems to <br />still have self maintaining population of squawfish, Humpback chub, and ?azor- <br />back suckers. This situation is tenuous, however, and could be reversed <br />almost over night. This situation is serious enough to warrant extra effort <br />to maintain facilities for hatching, rearing and restocking in case of a <br />natural or man-made disaster depleting the natural population. <br />This approach would bear watching carefully, as successful hatchery <br />propogation of these fish might become the easy way out for administrators <br />and/or.proponents of development. <br />,y _? cti of endangered t.,. ., l <br />iiai,Lof ° production of species, - Reer, should be %W dewed <br />only as an emergency measure for maintaining stocks of fish and a supply for <br />potential reintroductions. Hatchery production cannot be considered as a <br />means to maintain population of their species, and should not be considered <br />as a total answer to survival of these endangered fish species. <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br />Further documentation of the squawfish and razorback habitat preferences <br />and requirements is necessary to initiate a sound restoration program if <br />indeed the possibility still exists. The squawfish and razorback populations <br />in the Colorado River are still adequate to gain some insight on their specific <br />life cycle requirements. <br />Alteration of flow regimes on the Gunnison River may be a limiting or <br />causative factor decline of these species. Basic data on the spawning require- <br />ments may enable a flow regime designated specifically for the spawning period <br />to restore this fishery on the Gunnison River. Any program designed to restore <br />the endemic Colorado fish species will require time, and N.F.R.I. feels a <br />(33)