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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I was signed September 5, 1996, by the Service and the States. This agreement remains in effect t he life of the UCRRP. n addition, Colorado has removed bag limits on all nonnative warm water sport fishes within critical habitat reaches of the Colorado River Colorado also has agreed to close river reaches to angling where and when angling mortality is determined to be significant to native fish. Pond reclamation can include complete removal of nonnative fish, screening ponds to prevent escapement to the river, and/or reshaping ponds so that they no longer support year round Ish. The most effective and practicable of these alternatives will be implemented on a ..... case basis; Pond reclamation for nonnative fish control will continue as long as deemed~~~propriate by the UCRRP. The Colorado Division of Wildlife will prepare and adopt a Colorado River Fisheries Management Plan that will implement a more detailed nonnative fish control effort. The plan will be reviewed and approved by the UCRRP and Colorado Wildlife Commission. The Plan will be finalized and implemented by the dates specified in the Recovery Action Plan. 3.4 The Inadequacy of Existi egulatory Mechanisms The primary regulatory mech protection of the four endangered fish species is through Section 7 of the ESA, as administered by the Service. All federal actions that may jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat must undergo consultation under Section 7. Since 1989, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program has provided a mechanism for dealing with Section 7 consultations in the upper basin a uni anner. This program has enabled agreements among the Service and the States of Col and Utah to review and regulate all stockings within the Colorado River Basin, in order to reduce the introduction and expansion of nonnative fishes. Similarly, the San Juan River Basin Recovery Program has provided for a consolidated effort at addressing Biological Opinions in the San Juan River and Navajo Dam. However, there are currently no agreements in place among the lower basin states, including New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California for stocking within the lower basin. The Service can, to some extent, influence State stocking actions by withholding Fed or fish from Federal hatcheries for stocking proposals with potential to adversely im 17