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<br />RESULTS AND DISCUSSION <br /> <br />Movement and Migration <br /> <br />Radiotelemetry <br /> <br />A total of 14 adult Colorado squawfish were implanted with radio- <br />transmi tters in the DNM and the upper Yampa Ri ver in 1983 (Table 1). <br />Tracking of these fish was successful and contact was maintained with <br />most of the fish. Even so, adverse flood conditions made it difficult <br />to locate and follow fish, and contact was lost with 6 fish, including 5 <br />in the Yampa River during the spawning season (July-August). Eight fish <br />implanted in the Yampa and upper Green migrated to the lower 32 km (20 <br />mil, of the Yampa Canyon and spawned there. The migration observed in <br />1983 (Figure 2) was almost identical to the pattern observed by FWS in <br />1982 and 1983 (Figure 3). The movement of 18 Colorado squawfish, radiotracked <br />to the Yampa spawning grounds in 1981, and 1983 ;s presented in Table 2. <br />The results of radiotracking during the 1981-83 spawning seasons were <br />very similar to those obtained by the NPS-CDOW study in 1982 (Wick et <br />al. 1983). The distance moved by the 18 Colorado squawfish in reaching <br />the spawni ng grounds (Table 1) vari ed from 12 to 216 km (7 to 134 mil <br />and averaged 99 km (62 mil. In 1981 and 1983, fish radiotagged in the <br />Green River moved into the same spawning grounds used by the fish from <br />the upper Yampa River. <br /> <br />During spring electrofishing efforts for adult Colorado squawfish, <br />two Colorado squawfish that had been implanted with radiotransmitter <br />during the 1982 NPS Study (Wick et al. 1983) were recaptured. Fish No. <br />1166 was originally tagged at RK 27 on July 1981. It was recaptured by <br />NPS/CDOW personnel at RK 85 on 25 March 1982 and implanted with a radio- <br />transmitter. It was recaptured at RK 85 on 5 May 1983 and implanted with <br />another transmitter module. This fish migrated to the lower Yampa <br />Canyon and was found in association with other spawning Colorado squawfish <br />(Table 2). It then returned to RK 86 (RM 53.8) on about 18 August. The <br />other fish, No. 3284, was captured by NPS/CDOW personnel at RK 170 (RM <br />105) on 13 April 1982 and implanted with a transmitter. We recaptured <br />this fish at RK 25 (RM 11) on 9 May 1983 and implanted another transmitter. <br />Although we lost contact with No. 3284 after June 7, it was relocated at <br />RK 145 (RM 90.6)on August 19. Contact with these two fish in 1982 was <br />lost before any migratory patterns could be established, but some <br />IImigratory tendencies" were noted (WiCk etal 1983). <br /> <br />Collections-Recaptures <br /> <br />There have been 18 tag returns on Colorado squawfish tagged or <br />recaptured by"FWS in the Yampa River from 1981-1983. Of these, one fish <br />(1166) discussed above has been captured three times (Table 3), and <br />implanted with a radiotransmitter twice. Of the 18 Colorado squawfish <br />recaptured, 15 recaptures were made after the fish had been tagged for a <br />year, three after 2 years and two after 3 years (Table 3). Two. tag <br />returns came from anglers, or 11% of the Colorado squawfish taken <br /> <br />6 <br />