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a <br />POST-STOCKING ACTIVITIES <br />Monitoring and Evaluation of Stocked Fish <br />C <br />An important facet of a stocking program is to conduct systematic <br />monitoring and research following stocking. Such research is vital to obtain <br />biological information from experimental stocking, and to determine the <br />genetic impacts stocked fish may have on wild fish stocks within and beyond <br />the area of directed activity. An initial monitoring program would probably <br />be conducted for two to five years. <br />Evaluation of razorback sucker experimentally stocked in the upper <br />Colorado River drainage would attempt to answer several questions: <br />9 <br />6 <br />1. habitat utilization of hatchery-produced razorback sucker. <br />2. the short-term survival and adaptability of hatchery-produced, pond- <br />reared razorback sucker. <br />3. if survival differs among hatchery-reared razorback sucker stocked <br />at different locations. <br />4. post-stocking dispersal and distribution of razorback sucker. <br />5. if stocked razorback sucker successfully spawn. <br />6. the utility of using hatchery-reared fish for stocking to augment or <br />restore populations for recovery of the species. <br />Radiotelemetry has been used extensively to delineate movement and <br />habitat utilization of wild, adult Colorado squawfish and razorback sucker in <br />the upper basin (Miller at el. 1983; Archer et al. 1985; Tyus et al. 1987; <br />Osmundson and Kaeding 1989a; Valdez and Masslich 1989), and will be used as a <br />tool for providing information on the factors that affect the success of <br />razorback sucker in this experimental stocking program. Radio-equipped fish <br />33 <br />0