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4 <br />Objectives <br />The purpose of this plan is to describe an experimental stocking program <br />for razorback sucker in the upper Colorado River that would 1) answer specific <br />research questions essential for recovery, and 2) evaluate the utility of <br />stocking juvenile and adult-size, hatchery-produced fish in achieving recovery <br />goals. This plan is intended to serve as a conceptual document aimed at <br />addressing a general course of action that might be taken in an experimental <br />stocking program. This plan for razorback sucker in the upper Colorado River <br />will closely follow the guidelines provided in the Propagation and Genetics <br />Management Plan (Williamson 1990) for recovering endangered fishes in the <br />upper Colorado River basin. <br />Various pre- and post-stocking activities that are related to an <br />experimental stocking program are discussed herein and include 1) collecting <br />and establishing a broodstock/refugia population from appropriate donor <br />sources, 2) developing breeding strategies and justification for experimental <br />stocking, 3) developing stocking procedures, and 4) outlining research efforts <br />and general procedures to monitor stocked fish and evaluate the overall <br />program. <br />The Long-Range Plan (Anonymous 1990) recognizes the historic distribution <br />of the razorback sucker in the mainstem upper Colorado River from Lake Powell, <br />Utah to Rifle (about 260 river miles) and the lower 60 river miles of the <br />Gunnison River. To remain consistent with this plan while attempting refined <br />recovery goals, this plan discusses experimental stocking for razorback sucker <br />in these river reaches. <br />The Recovery Implementation Program outlines a 15-year time frame for <br />recovery of the razorback sucker. Evaluation of an experimental stocking <br />8 <br />4 <br />4 <br />4 <br />4 <br />4