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<br />10 <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Martinez, A. M. <br /> <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife, Grand Junction, CO <br /> <br />Nonnative Fish Control in Colorado 1998 - 2001. The purpose of nonnative fish removal and <br />control in Colorado and Gunnison River floodplain ponds is to reduce the number of chronic <br />sources contributing nonnative fishes into riverine habitats. Of 744 ponds located within the 100 <br />year floodplain or having direct connection to the Colorado or Gunnison rivers 290 ponds were <br />sampled to determine their fish species composition and nonnative fish control measures were <br />applied in 82 ponds from 1998 through 2001. Of the 20 fish species sampled, totaling 11,600 fish, <br />only three species were native. Nonnative non-sport and nonnative sport fish comprised 80% and <br />17% of the total number of fish sampled, respectively. Green sunfish (30%) was the most <br />common fish species sampled followed by fathead minnow (13.3%) and black bullhead (13.2%). <br />Native fish, including flannelmouth sucker (1.6%), roundtail chub (1.0%), and bluehead sucker <br />(0.4%), comprised only 3% of the total number offish sampled. No threatened or endangered fish <br />were collected. Treatments to control nonnative fish were applied in 75 ponds. Of these 75 ponds <br />54 were sampled one to four years following treatment. Followup inspection and fish sampling <br />showed that 31 (57%) of these 54 ponds had reinvaded with nonnative fish, six (11 %) were dry, <br />and 17 (32%) had not re-invaded by the date sampled. Of the 31 ponds that reinvaded, 24 <br />received water via irrigation, while ten of 17 ponds that did not re-invade received water via <br />irrigation. The remaining seven ponds that did not re-invade received water from seepage and/or <br />springs. Additional effort to control invasion or escapement by nonnative fish was attempted by <br />the installation of 11 screens that functionally treated 27 ponds. Enforcement of fish stocking <br />regulations is another method of controlling nonnative fish. On January 14, 1999 the Colorado <br />Wildlife Commission enacted a nonnative fish stocking regulation for the Colorado River Basin of <br />Colorado, excluding the San Juan drainage. It was revised January 11,2001. A survey was sent in <br />2001 to 50 District Wildlife Managers (DWM's) on the western slope, excluding the San Juan <br />drainage, to identify the level of enforcement ofthis regulation. Of 50 surveys sent 29 DWM's <br />responded. Ten (34%) of the 29 responses discussed the new regulation with landowners. Two <br />(7%) of the 29 DWM's wrote four citations and one warning for violations of this regulation <br />since its inception. Two (7%) ofthe 29 DWM's checked five fish trucks prior to stocking fish in <br />the last three years. Nine (31%) of the 29 DWM's checked 23 outlet screens and four berms. One <br />officer noted that an outlet screen was not in place when inspected. <br /> <br />Martin, L. M. <br /> <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife, GrandJunction, CO <br /> <br />Colorado's Fish Stocking Program for Private Landowners: Process and Results of the <br />2000 and 2001 Stocking Seasons. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) administers a fish <br />stocking program for private landowners who desire to stock fish in waters of Colorado. <br />Landowners may legally stock fish by either obtaining a private landowner fish stocking permit, or <br />a commercial or private lake license. The statewide aquaculture stocking permit may apply in <br />certain situations, so landowners may not need to obtain a private landowner fish stocking permit. <br />Specific restrictions apply in order to stock grass carp, and nonsalmonids into waters ofthe Upper <br />Colorado River Basin (UCRB). Berms and/or pond inlet and outlet screens may be required to <br />stock grass carp and other nonnative, nonsalmonid species in locations below 6500 feet elevation, <br />