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TL had been implanted. Movement patterns of these fish were somewhat <br />different than those observed in the Green River in 1980 and 1981; with <br />larger fish moving into or remaining in whitewater canyon areas after <br />the spawning season. In addition, radio-tagged fish lead us to a <br />previously suspected spawning site in Gray Canyon. Collections of ripe <br />fish in Gray Canyon and subsequent young-of-the-year studies provide the <br />first documentation of this spawning site. One 810 mm fish (No. 3001) <br />moved about 322 miles during the study period. Colorado squawfish <br />implanted in the Green and White rivers apparently used the lower Yampa <br />and Gray canyons for spawning in 1982. The movement patterns of radio- <br />telemetered Green River fish are shown in Figure 13. <br />During the 1982 spawning season (July-August) the Vernal Station <br />conducted sampling in Yampa Canyon, on the Yampa River and in Split <br />Mountain and Gray canyons on the Green River. A total of seven ripe <br />Colorado squawfish were collected in the vicinity of radio-tagged fish <br />in Gray Canyon between July 13 and July 22. Only one collecting trip <br />was made to the lower Yampa River where one ripe fish was collected. <br />The reason for the comparative absence of ripe fish in the Yampa was <br />provided by co-workers doing a Yampa River fish study (Stoneburner, <br />1983), which indicated that spawning occurred about 3 to 4 weeks later <br />than our sampling in 1982 (also 3-4 weeks later than spawning in 1981). <br />Study results indicated that spawning occurred in Gray Canyon about 3 <br />weeks earlier than spawning in Yampa Canyon. <br />Larval and Young-of-the-Year (YOY) Surveys <br />Larval sampling in the Colorado River was initiated in mid-July and <br />performed on a weekly basis between Palisade and the Westwater Ranger <br />Station through August. Two sampling trips were made during August in <br />the river reach between Westwater Canyon and Potash, Utah. An attempt <br />was made to sample below Potash in late August; however, this effort was <br />canceled because of equipment failure. Sampling was also accomplished <br />in upper Lake Powell in July, concurrent with radio-tracking work. <br />Larval Colorado squawfish (148 individuals) were found throughout <br />the study area (Figure 14). Colorado squawfish larvae (107 individuals) <br />were most frequently encountered and were in highest relative abundance <br />in samples taken from the river reach below Westwater Canyon (Westwater <br />Canyon itself was not sampled). Colorado squawfish larvae were first <br />collected from the river reach above Loma, Colorado later in the season <br />than from the downstream river reach; this might reflect marked differences <br />in the spawning time between river reaches. <br />Larval data for the Green River have not been completely analyzed <br />at this time. <br />In mid-September through October, when YOY Colorado squawfish were <br />large enough to be identified in the field, the Colorado River and Green <br />River were quantitatively sampled using 3x5 mm mesh seines. Colorado <br />River YOY (30-40 mm TL) Colorado squawfish were only collected below <br />-22-