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18 <br />squawfish in the Colorado River in the Grand Valley (average <br />1.4/year) than in the lower Colorado River (average 3.2/year) or <br />the upper Green River (average 6.3/year); areas represented by <br />the creel survey. Therefore, the IRO estimate of 12 adult <br />squawfish per mile is probably conservative for the survey areas. <br />Using this figure, an estimate can be made of 540 adults on the <br />72 km of the Green and 624 on the 84 km of the Colorado within <br />the survey sections. <br />Despite the fact that all Colorado squawfish were reportedly <br />released, hooking mortality is probably the fate of some of those <br />captured. More than 90% of the anglers were fishing with bait, <br />and bait fishing produces the most mortalities. Behnke (1991) <br />reported an average, gleaned from several other studies, of 40% <br />mortality on salmonids caught with bait, compared to 5% for <br />artificial lures. Other studies on walleye (Stizostedion <br />vitreum) caught with bait report lower mortality rates than for <br />the salmonids (2 to 23%) (Payer et al. 1989; Schaefer 1989). No <br />hooking mortality studies have, been conducted on Colorado <br />squawfish, but we will assume 25% hooking mortality for the <br />squawfish in this study caught on bait. Since all squawfish <br />caught in the Green River were caught with artificial lures, <br />hooking mortality may be lower. <br />Some previous records of incidental angler catches and <br />mortalities of squawfish are available. In the years from 1980 <br />to 1991, a total of 112, or 10/year, squawfish were reported <br />