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<br />INTRODUCTTON <br />~ Bonytail (Gila elegans) and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texam~s) were Federally listed as <br />endangered under the authority of the endangered species act in 1980 and 1991, respectively. The <br />Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado .River <br />Basin (RIP) was implemented to recover Colorado pclceminnow (Ptycheilus Lucius), formerly <br />known as Colorado squawfish, humpback chub (Gila cypha) and bonytail while allowing for <br />~ continued water development (USFWS 1987). When razorback sucker was Federally listed, <br />recovery of this species was also included under the scope of the RIP. <br />There are five primary components to achieving recovery of these four endangered fish species <br />under the scope of the RIP: I. Instream Flow Identification and Protection; II. Habitat <br />~ Restoration; III. Reduce Nonnative Fish and Sportfish Impacts; IV. Propagation and Genetics <br />Management; V. Research, Monitoring and Data Management. This revised stocking plan follows <br />the direction of component IV. (Propagation and Genetics Management). Furthermore, this <br />revised stocking plan is specific for razorback sucker and bonytail stocking efforts in the Green <br />and Colorado rivers in Utah <br />The purpose of this revised stocking plan is to provide a framework for stocking razorback sucker <br />and bonytaii in Utah under the scope of the RIP. The primacy goal of this plan is to establish a <br />minimum viable population of razorback sucker in the Green River and three minimum viable <br />populations of bonytac~ in the Green and Colorado rivers. <br />_~ <br />Colorado pikemirmow and humpback chub are not referred to in this plan due to the currently <br />stable populations that exist in Utah. Population estimates are currently being conducted on the <br />Colorado pc~lceminnow populations in the middle and lower Green River. The results of these <br />population estimates wdl determine the baseline for these populations toward achieving recovery <br />~ of this species (USFWS in draft). Lr7cewise, population estimates have been completed <br />(Westwater Canyon), are currently being conducted (Desolation/Gray canyons), or are scheduled <br />to begin (Cataract Canyon) for humpback chub populations in Utah. These populations may meet <br />or exceed the minimum viable population criteria. required for downlisting aril subsequent <br />delisting. However, if this does not prove to be the case, propagation and stocking of humpback <br />~ chub in Utah will need to be revisited. <br />This stocking plan is a revision of the previous State of Utah Stocking Plan for Endangered Fishes <br />in the Upper Colorado River Basin (Hudson et aL 1999). The primary purpose of the revision is <br />to incorporate the minimum viable population objectives identified in the revised recovery goals <br />~ (LTSFWS in draft). These objectives are replacing the previous objectives identified in the Utah <br />stocking plan based on the Interim Managec~nt Objectives (Lentsch et aL 1998). The framework <br />provided in this plan will allow the minimum viable population objectives for the respective <br />species to be met within ten yeazs. However, the objectives of this plan are not designed to <br />maintain the minimum viable population objectives. Continued itnplemematian of components I. <br />(Instream Flow Identification and Protection), II. (Habitat Restoration), and III. (Reduce <br />Nonnative Fish and Sportfish Impacts) should provide for natural reproduction and recruitment <br />into the adult population sufficient to sustain the respective minimum viable populations of <br />razorback sucker and bonytail. <br /> <br />