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1LL <br />during the 1982 reauthorization of the Act, resultin}; in the n~~;o experi- <br />mental category. Final regulations for the experirr-~ntal catt~irc.~ry were nuhli~+1led <br />in the Federal Register on August 27, 1984. <br />Under. the 19 H2 amrrendment, two suhcateg,>ric~S, r~sstanti:~1 and non- <br />essential, were created for the experimental listings. Thesr~ provided <br />approximately threatened and candic}ate degree;s of proter_tion, respectively, <br />for the reintr.oduceci populations, and are determines} by tlir importanct~ of <br />the reintroduced populations to the survival of the species. Other <br />pertinent criteria for the new experimental listings incLrde: reintroductions <br />are to be within the probable historic range of the species, no critical <br />habitat can be declared for nonessential populations, the public must <br />he allowed to comment on the action before retintroductiuns take place, <br />and the experimental populations must be geographically isolated from <br />threatened or endangered populations of the same species. <br />DurinK the period when LJashington was developing the ri~gulations <br />for the experimental populations, Arizona Department cif Game and Fish <br />personnel were locating streams suitable for squawfish arni woundfin <br />reintroductions. Their surveys determined two streams, the Salt River <br />above Lake Roosevelt and the Verde River above Horseshoe Reservoir, <br />still retained enough of their n;3tural characteristics t~ he considered <br />suitable habitat for squawfish (Fig. 1 ). Five potential iy suitable <br />woundfin streams were also located: the Verde River above Horseshoe <br />Reservoir, the C:ila River above San Carlos Reservoir, the San Francisco <br />River above its confluence with the Gila River, Tonto Cree}; above Lake <br />Roosevelt, and the Hassayampa River above Red Cliff (Fig. ?). <br />During this same time period, the Fish and lJildlife Service initiated <br />the extensive doccimentation for listing Colorado squawfish and woundfin <br />under the experimental non essenr_ial category, and began prod,rcin; fish <br />at Dexter NF}1 for the reintroductions. The proposal t~ reintroduce <br />squawfish and woundfin into Arizona was. published on April 10, 1984 and <br />the final regulation on .Tuly 27, 1985; the listings took a`feet 30 days <br />later. <br />Thirty three days after the final puhlicat_ion, on August 26, 1985, <br />296 Colorado squawfish were transported from Dexter ~1FH and stocked into <br />the Verde River near Perkinsville, Arizona. The fish were over 'a years ~ <br />old and ranted from } 2-16 inches, total. length. Two days later (Auggust <br />28, 1985), 113 I+ squawfish and 30,000 fry were stacked into the Salt <br />River above Lake P,oosevelt. By the end of September, 1985, over 117,00 <br />squawfish had been reintroduced into Arizona waters. After nearly 35 <br />years, Colorado squawfish again swim in the Gila River basin, and after <br />ma ny years of pape rwork and ef. fort they are c}oing so under the new expo ri- <br />mental nonessential classification. Stockir>t; of squawfish will continue <br />in the Salt and Vedre rivers for up to the next 10 years in an attempt <br />to reestablish a self sustaining population; monitoring will be conducted <br />jointly by the Service and Arizona Department of Game and Fish. <br />