8215

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8215
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Final Environmental Assessment
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: Management and Control of Noonative Fish Species in Floodplain Ponds of the Upper Colorado and Gunnison Rivers.
• Copyright Material: NO

of Colorado (Elmblad et al. 1994). The 13,000 anglers comprise 1.7% of the
total anglers and 66,000 angler-days comprise 1.1% of the total angler-days
of recreation in 1991.
A survey of warmwater anglers in Delta, Garfield, Mesa, and Montrose
counties concluded that anglers fished most often for catfish (36 percent)
and largemouth bass (25 percent; Colorado Division of Wildlife 1996). In
ponds that would be reclaimed through Recovery Program efforts, 75 percent
supported restocking with largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie, 52
percent supported restocking with only trout. Sixty-three percent of the
anglers reported that they were satisfied with local fishing opportunities.
When asked which type of warmwater fishing opportunity they would like to
see, the greatest percentage (44 percent) stated they would like more large
reservoirs.
Only nine percent of warmwater anglers surveyed i n western Colorado reported _-__
that they fished in private ponds (Colorado Division of Wildlife 1996).
Only one owner with a pond along the Gunnison River reported that his pond
was used for fishing, primarily for rainbow trout. The Colorado Division
of Wildlife reported that warmwater fishing occurred on 105 surface acres
of ponds along the Colorado River.
Other recreational pursuits involving wildlife-related activities along the
gravel-pit ponds of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers include observing and
photographing wildlife. Bird-watching is the primary observational
activity. In 1991, 76.1 million persons were involved in nonconsumptive
wildlife-related activities (i.e., observing and photographing wildlife) in
the United States or about 40.1% of nearly 190 million Americans (U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department
of Commerce, Bureau of the Census 1993a). In Colorado, nearly 1.1 million
persons participated in nonconsumptive wildlife-related activities in 1991
or 43% of slightly over 2.5 million persons living in Colorado (U.S.
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department
of Commerce, Bureau of the Census 1993a).
G. Indian Trust Assets. Indian trust assets are defined as legal interests in
property held in trust by the United States for Indian tribes or
individuals, or property that the United States is otherwise charged by law
to protect. The United States has a trust responsibility to protect and
maintain rights reserved by or granted to American Indians or Indian
individuals by treaties, statutes, and executive orders. These rights are
sometimes further interpreted by court decisions and regulations. This
trust responsibility requires that all federal agencies take all actions
reasonably necessary to protect this trust. The responsibilities of the
U.S. Department of the Interior for Indian trust assets were described in
Secretarial Order No. 3175, signed by Secretary of the Interior Bruce
Babbitt in November, 1993. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation policy was issued
in a July, 1993 memorandum from the Commissioner and NEPA Handbook
procedures were issued by the Commissioner in November, 1993. The Bureau's
policy states that it will carry out its activities in a manner which
protects Indian trust assets and avoids adverse impacts when possible. When
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