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39 in the Virgin River drainage for largemouth bass broodstock, ponds also inhabited by spikedace, desert suckers, woundfin, and other native fishes. Another example of conflict in management programs was the proposed introduction of rainbow smelt into Lake Powell, but the perception of respondents was that review of the proposal by both game and nongame sections was more evident In Colorado, a management philosophy expressed was that efforts to recover endangered fish should proceed via augmentation and artificial habitat enhancement so that aggressive sportfish management can proceed thereafter. A perception outside the state agency was CDOW was not pursuing the potential problem of incidental take of endangered fish by angling in the Grand Valley and enforcement of laws prohibiting harvest of these fish was insufficient Responses suggested an internal communication process was evolving within Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. One observation on this communication process was: 'The philosophies tend to diverge, and it is hard to have a true dialogue. Recovery biologists in general seem very unwilling to sit down and discuss the true issues. Management biologists are willing to sit down and discuss, but are not always sympathetic. When dialogue is forced to happen, we have had some success. II On the federal level, respondents stated that long range planning documents requiring strict compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEP A) provided the mechanism for achieving a balance between the harvest of sport and native fish and introductions of IInewll sport'species. Another respondent acknowledged that even though their agency goal was to enhance all fishery resources, sport or game fish species must take a lower priority when endangered species are concerned Question 13: Do you feel the problems posed by introduced fishes upon native fishes have been exacerbated by other problems such as aquatic habitat change/loss, water quality degradation, land use practices, etc.? Is there any documented evidence of this you are aware of (please cite)? All 25 respondents answered affirmatively to this question (one did not answer). Forty-eight percent listed habitat loss or changes, 28% listed flow reductions or pattern changes, and 20% listed water quality deterioration or water temperature changes as the primary 1I0therll problems that initiate or increaSe the severity of problems related to introduced fishes. Four respondents indicated documented evidence was not known, while seven provided some form of evidence. j if