<br />14
<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 />Research Monitoring and Data Management
<br />
<br />Valdez, RI. AI., R T. Muth2, and T. Czapla2
<br />
<br />'R. A. Valdez and Associates; US. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery
<br />Program Office, Lakewood, Co
<br />
<br />Summary of Population Estimate Workshop. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
<br />released draft recovery goals for the four Colorado River endangered fishes for public review
<br />through a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register (66 FR 47033-47034) on September 10,
<br />2001. These recovery goals provide site-specific management actions and objective, measurable
<br />criteria for downlisting and delisting the Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback
<br />chub (Gila cypha), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail (Gila elegans).
<br />Demographic criteria include numbers of populations and individuals necessary for recovery.
<br />Reliable, precise population estimates are needed to monitor population status and trends, to
<br />determine if downlisting and delisting demographic criteria are met, and to ensure demographic
<br />and genetic viability. The Service has determined that mark-recapture models provide the best
<br />available population estimates. A workshop was held in Fort Collins, Colorado, on December 6-7,
<br />2001, to solicit input from experts on the statistical validity and precision of population and
<br />recruitment estimates for Colorado pikeminnow and humpback chub necessary to meet the
<br />demographic criteria of the draft recovery goals; razorback sucker and bonytail will be addressed
<br />at a later date. The purpose of the workshop was to provide guidance to the Service in
<br />determining acceptable population and recruitment estimates for Colorado pikeminnow and
<br />humpback chub. The workshop was attended by 35 researchers, statisticians, and representatives
<br />of the Biology Committee of the Upper Colorado River Recovery Program, the Biology
<br />Committee of the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, and representatives
<br />ofthe Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center. Presentations were made by individual
<br />researchers for respective regions of river where population estimates are being conducted.
<br />Following the presentations, a moderator solicited input from the attendees, and all information
<br />was recorded on flip charts and electronically on a word processor. The results of the workshop
<br />are presently being assimilated into a working document that will provide guidance for statistically
<br />valid and precise population and recruitment estimates.
<br />
<br />Kitcheyan, C.l, G. B. Hainesl, T. Moddel, G. Birche1l2, R Brunson2, M. Hudson3, S. Meisme~,
<br />J. Hawkins4, and K. Bestgen4.
<br />
<br />'Us. Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado River Fishery Project Office, Vernal, UT; 2Utah Division of Wildlife
<br />Resources, Vernal, UT; 3Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Moab, UT; 4Colorado State University, Ft. Collins,
<br />CO
<br />
<br />Colorado pikeminnow sampling in the Green, White, and Yampa rivers, 2001 Sub-adult and
<br />adult Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius were sampled on at least three occasions in
<br />sections of the Green, White, and Yampa rivers in spring 2001. The goal ofthat sampling was to
<br />gather capture-recapture information to generate abundance estimates of Colorado pikeminnow in
<br />each river reach. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife sampled the Green River in Desolation Canyon and
<br />the White River, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources sampled the lower and middle Green River
<br />
|