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t conclusions of the experiments. Mr. Hamill reported that t FWS, in cooperation with Utah State University, is working to provide quantified input as to what are good, healthy populations and habitat extent to define when the species are each recovered. Heretofore, the definition has been quite general in terms of numbers of "healthy populations" that should exist on the system. Mr. Hamill also reported on the current status of the Gila taxonomy studies which have been in progress for some years. Much of the delay is due to the principal investigator being killed in an automobile accident about two-thirds of the way through the study. Much sampling and analysis has had to be repeated and the DNA part of the research reviewed by other investigators. The study was initiated in 1990 through a contract with the Smithsonian Institute to resolve some of the confusion in the taxonomy of three Gila species, the humpback, bonytail and roundtail chubs. The Smithsonian surveyed all collections and museum specimens and also conducted a very extensive field survey over the entire Colorado River system to collect specimens of the entire genus. The morphology part of the research has been completed. Results are published and available but, at this point, it is the only completed segment of the overall study. The DNA work has a final completion date of 1997. The electrophoresis work has proven to be very complicated and will be submitted to other professionals for further analysis. Based on work completed so far, the results seem to show that there are indeed three separate species but that there are definite differences between the upper basin and the lower basin humpback chubs. The "best" populations are in the Maned River and the upper part of the Green River. In Cataract Canyon and Desolation Canyon there appears to be some hybridization between the humpback and its relatives. There are also differences in the roundtail chub between the upper and lower basin. This is all based primarily on traditional taxonomic methods and there may be more and different information when the blood electrophoresis and DNA studies are completed. Mr. Hamill indicated it would probably be 12 to 18 months before the other two phases of the study were completed. The area of FWS biological opinions under the recovery program is the main objective of developers and water users since they look at the upper basin multi-state/federal committee to establish a climate of favorable biological opinions. To date, some 200 biological opinions have been issued under Section 7 of the ESA and have, in fact, been favorable to water use and development. These opinions have all dealt with areas above critical habitat on the upper basin. Under the reasonable and prudent alternative definition in Section 7, FWS relied upon the developers and s 1