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IV. RECREATION <br />Categorization of State Fishery Resources <br />Because aquatic resources in Colorado vary in their physical/chemical/biological attributes, <br />they have widely varying potential as fisheries. Historically, fishery managers have taken <br />advantage of the natural productivity of the state's waters to manage for wild trout or unique <br />native trout fisheries. Besides the protection benefits, these high quality resources can produce <br />fishing recreation at lower cost because stocking needs are minimal. However, many waters in <br />the state have limited capacity to support natural reproduction, have poor habitat quality, or <br />otherwise cannot maintain a recreational fishery. Maintaining fisheries under these circumstances <br />requires a greater use of stocked fish and habitat enhancement. <br />Colorado has approximately 185,700 acres of public water managed as fisheries by the <br />DOW. Fifty-one percent of the state's aquatic resources are in coldwater lakes (95,000 ac), 17% <br />in Coldwater streams (30,500 acres), 29% in warmwater lakes (54,000 acres), and 3% in <br />warmwater streams (6200 acres). <br />In 1992, the Statewide Fisheries Management Categorization System was developed to <br />describe the various options used by the DOW to manage the state's fishery resources. The <br />water-specific fish management scenarios were grouped into three general categories, which were <br />further divided into 33 definitive categories. It is important to note that the Categorization <br />System describes waters by their management objectives rather than their physical or biological <br />capabilities. Although there is often a link between the two, the inclusion into a specific category <br />is based on a management strategy that is largely at the discretion of the fishery manager. The <br />three general categories (Intensive, Optimum, and Special Use) and the recreation days <br />associated with each are shown in Table 4. <br />Intensive Use Category <br />Intensive Use management provides the greatest possible amount of fishing recreation <br />within the limits of the facilities and physical environment to support such use at the least cost. <br />The primary objectives are to provide fish for anglers to catch and keep and to maximize return to <br />the creel. Waters are managed under this concept when existing angling demand is difficult to <br />meet using other management options. <br />Common to many of the waters in this category is a lack of physical and biological attributes <br />needed for natural perpetuation of coldwater fish. This is particularly true for the standing-water <br />habitats in this category. In addition, there are a number of waters (primarily streams or <br />warmwater lakes) where self-sustaining populations of fish do not provide adequate numbers or <br />sizes to meet the demands of existing angling pressure. <br />15