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population of whitefish in the White and Yampa <br />river drainages. It is a logical assumption <br />that the whitefish population has been and will <br />be largely controlled by physical and biological <br />limitation of the habitat. These natural <br />controls will likely determine any significant <br />population changes, and normal hook'and line <br />fishing is not expected to influence the popula- <br />tion to a detrimental degree. It is recommended <br />that the daily bag and possession limit on <br />whitefish be relaxed to 10 fish on the White <br />River drainage, thus corresponding to the <br />regulations on the Yampa. Year around fishing <br />for whitefish on both drainages is also recommended. <br />204. Kobetich, G. C., and P. B. Holden. 1976. ENDANG. FISH <br />Endangered and threatened fishes of the HISTORY <br />Colorado River basin. Proceedings Western HABITAT ALT.. <br />Association State Game and Fish Commissioners COLORADO R. <br />56:286-287. (Abstr.) <br />The Colorado River basin has a long history of <br />isolation from other drainage areas and was <br />once divided geologically into two distinct <br />basins. In each basin a separate group of fish <br />evolved. When the basins joined the fish fauna <br />mixed and formed the Colorado River basin fish <br />fauna as we now know it. During the Pleistocene <br />additional drainage areas became conjoined with <br />the Colorado River system and were invaded by <br />the Colorado River fish fauna. As the Pleistocene <br />closed these connectives desicated and lost <br />their connections with the main system. The <br />fish fauna remained, however. Because of the <br />history of isolation of the Colorado-River <br />basin and its Pleistocene connectives the fish <br />fauna is highly endemic and depauperate and, <br />therefore, subject to competitive displacement <br />by exotic fish species from larger drainage <br />areas with a more saturated fauna. The effect <br />of exotic fish introductions combined with <br />gross changes in the habitat have had a devas- <br />tating effect on the Colorado River basin fish <br />fauna. Today, many of these fish are endangered <br />and threatened. Efforts are being made to <br />prevent the extirpation of the remaining popula- <br />tions. <br />QF <br />