9490 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

1 1 1 1 J r 1 In October 1994, the Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and the Fish and Wildlife Service implemented "Interim Stocking Procedures" to see how a process to address differences in stocking positions between agencies might work. During the period covered by the interim procedures, Colorado submitted eight lake management plans for waters in the floodplain. Because all these waters were within the 40-year floodplain, none were approved. Also, as part of the procedures, the Fish and Wildlife Service refuge at Ouray, Utah was not allowed to pump water from Pelican Lake because nonnative fishes were escaping from the refuge into the river. In accordance with the interim procedures, tiger muskie were stocked into Harvey Gap Reservoir, stocking of black crappie and bluegill was approved for McPhee Reservoir, and salmonid stocking continues in numerous locations basinwide. The interim procedures expired December, 1995. However, the States have voluntarily continued to abide by the interim procedures. In April, 1995, an independent scientific review team was convened to review the draft stocking procedures that were being considered at that time. The teams made several major points: 1) nonnative fishes should not be stocked outside of their historic range, especially not into areas designated as critical habitat for the four endangered fish; 2) there is little biological difference between the 10-, 40-, 50-, and 100-year floodplains, nonnative fish will eventually escape into the river from ponds in these areas; and 3) if occurrence of largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie are low in the river, then concern over them being stocked in the floodplain may not be a major issue. Additionally, public meetings were held on the procedures December 5, 1995, in Denver, Colorado; December 6, 1995, in Craig, Colorado; December 7, 1995, in Grand Junction, Colorado; and December 12, 1995, in Vernal, Utah. At these meetings, presentations were made regarding the need to implement stocking procedures. Stocking procedures under consideration were also discussed. The primary purpose of the meetings was to get public input concerning regulating warmwater fish stocking in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Approximately 70 people attended one or more of the public meetings. Most people attending has questions regarding the procedures, specific sport fish species, and/or recovery of the endangered fish, but few expressed either support or opposition. The Procedures will be implemented by a Cooperative Agreement among the Service and State fish and wildlife agencies in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The roles and responsibilities of each agency will be clearly described in the Cooperative Agreement. Both the Service and the States have statutory responsibilities which cannot be abrogated. The States have the responsibility for managing fish and wildlife resources that includes threatened and endangered species occurring within their boundaries. The Service has certain legislated responsibilities for conserving fish and wildlife resources including administration of the Endangered Species Act. The goal of the Service and the States is to reach consensus on issues related to stocking of nonnative fishes so that neither agency has to independently assert its authority. The Service and the States will make a concerted effort to resolve any disagreements that may arise from either public or private stocking proposals.