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• range and is classified as endangered by FWS under the Endangered Species <br />Act of 1973. The razorback sucker is rare but currently receives no <br />Federal protection. It is, however, listed as endangered by the State of <br />Colorado, ,protected by the State of Utah, and is a candidate for listing <br />under the Endangered Species Act. <br />2. The Colorado squawfish is a predator and is the largest <br />cyprinid fish native to North America. Historically, it reached weights <br />of 80 pounds in the lower Colorado River basin. However, the largest <br />adults captured in recent years weigh between 10 and 15 pounds and are <br />about 3 feet long. Colorado squawfish now only occur in about 800 river <br />miles in the upper Colorado River basin above Lake Powell, Utah. Subadult <br />and adult squawfish sometimes exhibit long-distance movement to habitats <br />essential to different life stages of the fish. Migration of over 200 <br />miles has been documented. Most migration has occurred near or during <br />the spawning period and included movement to and from spawning areas. <br />3. The largest razorback suckers reach lengths up to about 18 <br />to 24 inches and weigh about 5 pounds. This catostomid species is in a <br />tenuous position in the upper Colorado River basin, perhaps more so than <br />the Colorado squawfish. Only adult razorbacks have been collected in <br />recent time, and there is no evidence of successful natural recruitment <br />to the population. The low population size and apparent lack of recruit- <br />ment suggest razorbacks may be close to extinction. Razorback suckers <br />also show tendencies to migrate, although little is known about the <br />extent and range of their movements. <br />4. FWS is mandated by provisions of the Endangered Species Act <br />to provide conservation measures to protect and perpetuate these fishes <br />and enhance their habitat. An important goal of this effort is to <br />restore their species to enough of their former range so that their popu- <br />lation numbers are no longer declining. The ultimate goal is to increase <br />the population to a level that allows their removal from the Endangered <br />Species list. <br />5. Dams and irrigation diversions on main stem rivers and <br />their tributaries constructed in conjunction with water projects are <br />impediments to upstream movement of adult Colorado squawfish and razor- <br />back sucker. Barriers that block stream passageways contribute to the <br />loss of historic habitat for these fishes and possibly their decline, and <br />may be one factor that led to loss of Colorado squawfish in the lower <br />Colorado River basin below Glen Canyon Dam. <br />6. Fish passageways around such migration barriers have been <br />• constructed for and used successfully by other species in other river <br />systems. No passage facilities have been constructed in the upper <br />3 <br />