9656

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9656
• Author: Stempel, M. and R. Wydoski.
• Title: Final Environmental Assessment - Disposition of Captive-Reared Endangered Colorado River Fish.
• USFW Year: 1995.
• USFW - Doc Type: Denver, CO.
• Copyright Material: NO

are being developed with genetically sound protocols so that the genetic
diversity of the broodstocks is similar to the wild stock that was used
as founders. These broodstocks provide an "insurance policy" to prevent
extinction of a species or stock of endangered fishes. They also provide
a genetically viable source for augmentation and restoration stocking
efforts that will be made in the Upper Basin.
The impact of this alternative is an increased potential for extinction
of one or more of the endangered Colorado River fishes. Therefore, this
alternative was dismissed because captive propagation is an integral part
of the Recovery Program in developing broodstocks that will be maintained
in refugia to prevent immediate extinction of endangered fishes and to
meet recovery needs of endangered fish for research, stocking, and
information and education programs.
3. Stock Surplus Endangered Fish into the Upper Colorado River Basin. The
Program's "Genetics Management Guidelines" provides precautions,
procedures and strategies to prevent genetic risks in propagation
(Williamson and Wydoski 1994). This document also identifies breeding
strategies that would maximize the effective population size of captive
fish used to develop broodstocks.
Genetic conservation of the endangered fish stocks in the Upper Basin
would be accomplished by following procedures in three documents:
Genetics Management Guidelines, Genetics Management Plan, and Stocking
Plans. The "Genetics Management Guidelines" provide a conceptual
framework for genetics management and rationale for maintaining genetic
diversity of wild and captive endangered fish stocks in the Upper
Colorado River Basin. A "Genetics Management Plan" will identify and
characterize endangered fish stocks in the upper basin, determine status
and trends, and establish priorities for effective and rational genetics
management by species and stocks within specific river reaches. Finally,
"Stocking Plans" for specific actions will include the justification and
rationale for stocking and other details such as species, size of fish,
timing of release, location of release, genetic risks, risk of predation
or competition by nonnative fishes, and a description of how the
evaluation of the stocking will be made. Stocking plans must be approved
by the Program and must be covered by a Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit.
If the action "may affect" the endangered fishes, then a formal Section 7
consultation under the Endangered Species Act will be required to
determine if the proposed stocking may jeopardize wild stocks of
endangered fish in the upper basin.
Stocking of endangered fishes into their historic range should be done in
a genetically and ecologically sound manner to prevent genetic swamping
of the wild gene pool and to ensure that only fish with attributes that
will increase their survival in waters that are targeted for stocking.
The philosophy of the Recovery Program is to maintain the genetic
integrity of wild and captive-reared endangered fishes in the Upper
Colorado River Basin to prevent irreversible losses of genetic diversity
that may result from management interventions or lack of action
(Williamson and Wydoski 1994).
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