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4 <br />acknowledged and the potential negative impacts are minimized. <br />Management strategies directed toward stocking should first <br />identify the options that result in an acceptable degree of genetic <br />risk. <br />3. Habitat suitability assessments are completed and recommendations 4 <br />provided where suitable habitat is available for stocking of <br />razorback sucker. Habitat-use data and recommendations for <br />razorback sucker habitat utilization from past (Tyus et al. 1987; <br />Valdez and Masslich 1989; Osmundson and Kaeding 1989a; Bestgen <br />1990) and future (e. g., a study will be conducted by CDOW starting <br />in 1992) studies will be useful in determining if suitable habitat 4 <br />is available in a river reach selected for initial experimental <br />stocking. <br />The experimental stocking of 10 to 20 radiotagged razorback sucker in <br />each of the proposed stream reaches could provide researchers with many <br />answers that are currently unknown. Short-term research could determine 1) <br />the success or failure of such stockings, 2) habitat selected by adult fish, <br />3) if spawning habitat is available, and 4) whether future stocking of large <br />numbers of razorback sucker has utility. This information would be useful to <br />the Section 7 consultation process and especially to the development of <br />management activities as part of the recovery process for razorback sucker. <br />Habitat-use data could be obtained by stocking razorback sucker equipped with <br />radio transmitters and monitoring their movements. <br />Recommendations for future stocking of razorback sucker on a larger scale <br />will be based on the results of the experimental stocking of a small number of <br />fish, habitat suitability studies, ongoing genetic studies, and genetic risks <br />16 <br />4 <br />4