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G"ra?ap Cfti~'!~t9 ~,~- THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 1~~T17iinL PARK Ri+1i~i iari6vfc, ivilCi-iivHN. U. S. A. ~L81C74 J SEUM OF ZOOLOGY ~`I ICJ 1 b ~~~ I2 November 1976 ='f'•S `"''`„ Asst soot pmt Assistant I.an,~'ca~e Arch Mr. Merle Stitt Superintendent Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyonx Arizona 86023 Dear Mr, Stitt: Fscal Pcrsrnic_I Rroc~~rerncnt ~f RPS_ br r,e~ Chi r.F Vst Art Ctiief A!aint t1 R 7.~11,r As a result of deliberations at the recent Conference on r~iFnr~ Research in the National Parks, I urge you and your staff to give careful. consideration to the following proposal and to follow the recommendation herein made at the earliest opportunity, Within Grand Canyon National Park lives one of-the few remaining known populations of the endangered species, Gila cypher, the humpback chub. Recently I received a color slide taken on June 12, 1976, of a specimen of this species caught by a fisherman in the Colorado River at the mouth of the Little Colorado Rivex. The color slide shows the hook embedded in its mouth. The well-being and survival of this endangered fish must not be jeopardized by such action which, in itself, is a violation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and subjects the offender to a heavy fine. It is my professional opinion (based on two float trips through Grand Canyon when the fish fauna was studied) that the Little Colorado River serves as a spawning site and nursery ground for this chub. Both Dr_ R. B. Suttkus and I strongly recommend that all fishing be prohibited on the Colorado River, including the lower section of the. Little Colorado River, within Grand Canyon National Park. This should provide no hardship for fishermen who still have fine, clear streams (such as Bright Angel, Roaring Fork, Deer, Shinuma,. Tapeats, etc:) where trout fishing is available. The humpback chub, a vanishing natural resource now protected by law, needs aI1 the help it can get if it is not to become extinct before its time. The National Park Service can aid this species ' materially by taking the above action, ~ ' V sincerel~yQou~rs, ~ - ' ~ . Robert R. Miller Collaborator, NPS Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Curator of Fishes cc; O. L. Wallis Office of Endangered Species