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<br />in the Yampa and White Rivers of the Green Basin produced additional catches <br />of 0.7 and 0.2 Colorado squawfish per hour. These collections support the <br />premise that the Green River supports colorado squawfish populations of about <br />one. order of magnitude greater than the Upger Colorado River. It is generally <br />agreed that the Green River Basin supports viable populations of the Colorado <br />squawfish and is the stronghold of the species (Archer et al 1986, Benhke and <br />p r ~ c,. c~,.~--- <br />Bensen 1983, Tyus et al 1986, USFWS 1988b).'^ ~2s--~~~5 i°` ~ ~~`' <br />~~~~-,mss g~ -~I~- M2- S''~1'~Z Y~~~ <br />2 ` \ <br />G~ ~j ~ L ~t ~`- ~2 cr I ° ~ 5~0'' 6 d' ~ ~- <br />The relative abundance of Colorado squawfish populations in the upper <br />Colorado River Basin is evident from the preceding, but the size of these <br />populations remains unknown. The rarity of the species and lack of knowledge <br />about movements, recruitment, and mortality has precluded the use of standard <br />population estimation techniques. However, many years of study in the <br />mainstream Green River allows some meaningful interpretations regarding <br />standing stocks of adults. Crude approximations were developed from: 1. A <br />comparison between catch rates of razorback sucker and Colorado squawfish, and <br />a razorback sucker population estimate, 2. Use of electrofishing catch rates <br />converted to number of fish per mile, corrected for an assumed catch rate <br />efficiency, 3. use of electrofishing catch rates corrected by using an <br />estimated catch rate efficiency of razorback sucker, 4. An opinion survey of <br />experienced fishery workers to determine the relative numbers of razorback <br />suckers and Colorado squawfish observed per mile electroshocked, 5. A similiar <br />survey using the number of Colorado squawfish estimated per km, based on <br />electrofishing catches, 6. A crude capture/recapture estimate, disregarding <br />15 <br />