7805

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7805
• Author: Colorado River Wildlife Council.
• Title: Minutes, Colorado River Fish & Wildlife Council.
• USFW Year: 1988.
• USFW - Doc Type: July 9, 1988.
• Copyright Material: NO

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and in addition ordered all grass carp populations to be destroyed. New
Mexico has a statewide grass carp policy restricted to use of triploids
essentially modeled after the CRWC policy, and in all cases it-has appeared
successful. Utah currently prohibits all forms of grass carp introduction
throughout the state.
Following Mr. Hatch's report, the council discussed whether the council's
policy was a practical, workable system for introduction and use of grass
carp. Temple Reynolds pointed out the strong stand against introduction of
grass carp in any form the Arizona department had made for several years.
Business and environmental associations had specifically approached the
legislature and between the economic benefit of tourism, and the use of
herbicides and pesticides in lieu of grass carp, the legislature had very
narrowly missed taking authority from the department for management of grass
carp and the division had narrowly won some form of control in a permitting
system and a restriction to the triploid form. He pointed out the strong .
economic and sociological forces.
Since one cannot visually identify the diploid from the triploid, there was
discussion about a wildlife agency being successful in a policy that will not
allow introduction of the diploid, which is actually less expensive. It
would seem this would be a policy impossible to enforce. The position was
also advanced that the council is not attempting to impose that policy upon
its members, but it is available for their use and the guidelines are sound,
based upon the research and experience to date.
If the grass carp policy adopted by the council last year were adopted
unanimously by the council, the triploid form then would be approved for such
restricted introduction in the Basin. Since that has not happened, the
council must review each proposal for introduction of the triploid grass carp
or any other form of grass carp. These are time consuming, often taking one
or two years. If there is a private applicant who is hot to trot and he's
losing money because of the condition of his pond, I think we're going to see
a lot of violations and a lot of dissension. I think we'll see a lot of
unilateral action and it won't be because any state wants to go against the
wishes of the council. The fact is we must deal with the issue on a
pragmatic basis because of the clientele and because of the political arena.
The argument was also advanced that all states have now had to enter into
expensive eradication of diploid and other forms of carp purchased illegally
at considerable expense and time because of a policy that would not allow
some vegetation relief control without constant reapplications of chemicals.
William Molini described the situation currently existing in Nevada where the
various golf associations have good communication networks and are well aware
of what is happening in Arizona. The large hotels in Las Vegas have already
indicated to the department that there are two groups: one favoring
requesting Nevada Game & Fish Commission changing their policy to accept
triploids and the other group talking about going directly to the legislature
as was done in Arizona to get authority removed from the Game & Fish.
Wayne Gustaveson reaffirmed that the technical committee for two years have .
presented guidelines for the use of, and recommended the use of, triploid
grass carp within the terms the council passed last year. However, the
council has not approved any use of grass carp of any form. The technical
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