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A STUDY TO EVALUATE SEVERAL TAGGING AND MARKING SYSTEMS <br />FOR COLORADO SQUAWFISH, RAZORBACK SUCKER, AND BONYTAIL <br />INTRODUCTION <br />General <br />Tagging and marking are important techniques used to study individual <br />aquatic animals or populations, and are fundamental to effective fisheries <br />management and research programs (Wydoski and Emery 1983). Selection of <br />effective identification systems with low risk to fishes is essential to <br />integrated operations involving research and management of wild and hatchery <br />stocks. This includes development of refuge populations and broodstocks, <br />production, experimental stocking, monitoring, and evaluation. For example, <br />determining the minimum size that endangered fishes can be successfully tagged <br />is vital in managing and maintaining unique broodstocks, particularly at <br />facilities where space for holding fish is limited. A tag that promotes <br />efficient use of rearing facilities is valuable because the identity of unique <br />populations can be assured even when different stocks are maintained together in <br />common culture units. This is particularly important in developing breeding <br />strategies that require individual fish to have a unique identification code. <br />Individual identification is valuable because it allows managers more precise <br />control of breeding behavior. It allows development of pedigree mating. <br />Various marking and tagging procedures have been used to identify Colorado <br />River fishes as a part of numerous research and management studies in the upper <br />Colorado River basin (UCRB). These include Carlin-dangler tags, anchor (Ploy) <br />tags, coded-nose-wire tags, PIT tags, and fin mutilation using liquid nitrogen. <br />None of these methods is without risk to the fish, and therefore it is imperative <br />