9618 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The Fisheries Program maintains and implements a comprehensive set of tools and activities to conserve and r ' populations of native fish and other aquatic resources. These tools and activities are linked to management and re achieve restoration and recovery goals, provide recreational benefits, and address Federal trust responsibi effective partnerships, and careful planning and evaluation are integral to conservation and management efforts. Roundin' up Razorbacks and Bonytails Continues on Lakes Mohave and Havasu AZFRO completed annual efforts to "round-up" endangered ' razorback sucker and bonytail in lakes Mohave and Havasu, both of which are located along the lower Colorado River below Hoover Dam. The annual round-up has been conducted for 24 years ' on Lake Mohave, whereas the round-up on Lake Havasu has been conducted for the last 5. The annual rour~d-up is amulti-agency effort to assess the status of wild and introduced populations of both species in both lakes using mark-recapture techniques. In addition to ' assessing the population status, "wild" bonytail are collected for possible inclusion into the bonytail broodstock being maintained at Dexter National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center. Endangered Desert Pupfish Population Estimation Completed at Refuges /~ ZFRO conducted surveys of endangered desert pupfish refugia populations recently established at Cibola and Imperial National Wildlife Refuges. The first population estimate conducted at the Cibola refugia in ' 2001 resulted in an estimated 689 pupfish being present. A population estimate conducted at the same refugia during FY 2004 resulted in an estimated 2,578 pupfish, with multiple size classes being present. These activities have become an annual event to monitor the population trends of ' this endangered fish. Endangered Razorbacks and Bonytails Monitored at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge AZFRO continued working with the U.S. Geological Survey and Arizona State University to monitor endangered razorback sucker and bonytail introduced into High Levee Pond in 1993. To date, 4year-classes of both species are present in the pond and they are actively recruiting; the only place in the Colorado River basin where this has been documented. A better understanding of other important life history aspects of both species has also been gained through this cooperative effort. AZFRO Assists Arizona Game and Fish Department with Threatened spinedace Surveys ZFRO is the Service's lead station for the recovery of federally listed Little Colorado spinedace, a rare minnow recently impacted by competition with and predation by non-native fish and crayfish. In addition, habitats have been negatively impacted by ongoing drought conditions. In FY 2004, AZFRO assisted the Arizona Game and Fish Department with a comprehensive survey for Little Colorado spinedace in Silver Creek, AZ, which was identified in the recovery plan as a critical component leading toward the recovery of this species. Arizona Fishery Resources Office FY 2004 Annual Report ~ ~. ,~ „- ~~~ ~ . ~~.~ ~ ~ ,. ~ . CONSERVING ANtERICA'~ self-sustaining i plans that help Sound science, 3