7339

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7339
• Author: Valdez, R. A.
• Title: A Review of the Hatchery Program for Threatened and Endangered Fishes of the Colorado River.
• USFW Year: 1985.
• USFW - Doc Type: Logan, Utah.
• Copyright Material: NO

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4-7

4.2 Hatchery Capabilities

Of the 11 hatcheries and sites evaluated for production of rare
Colorado River fishes, only four currently have production capability;
Willow Beach NFH, Dexter NFH, Hotchkiss NFH, and Logan FES. The remainder
either do not currently support hatchery facil ities or agreements between
the respective states and FWS are needed.

Of the four hatcheries with production capability, Valentine (1983)
estimates that Willow Beach NFH, Dexter NFH, and Hotchkiss NFH could
probably each produce about 100,000 finger1 ings per year. No estimate is
given for the capabil ity of the Logan FES, but it can probably currently
produce about 50,000 fingerl ings, based on a description of faci1 ities and
ongoi ng commi tments. Thus, exi sti ng hatchery facil i ti es can only produce
about 350,000 of the 500,000 fingerlings per year estimated by FWS to
fulfill propagation and conservation needs. Endangered fish need to be
raised to fingerlings since a 3 to 6-inch fish is the smallest that can be
permanently marked before release to the wild, using coded wire nose tags.

A misleading feature of this estimate is the suitability or
desirabil ity of certain hatcheries to more readily or easily produce one
species than another. The result might be underproduction of one species
and overproduction of another. For example, the Hotchkiss NFH and the Logan
FES have water suppl i es cool er than the optimum range for Colorado
squawfish, but suitable for humpback chub. Conversely, the warmer water of
the Willow Beach NFH or the Dexter NFH may be more suitable for Colorado
squawfish and less so for humpback chub.

Another consideration in production capability is the location of the
hatchery relative to release sites, and its effect on stocking costs and
stress to the fi sh. For exampl e, Wi 11 ow Beach NFH has proven experi ence
with all three species, but fish destined for the upper basin would be
subjected to stressful trips of 500 miles or more and released in waters to
which the fish were not imprinted. Similarly, Dexter NFH has proven
experience with all three species, but the fish would have to be transferred
a great distance and released into waters to which the fish are not
imprinted. These consi derati ons strengthen the case for a new facil ity
built specifically for the rare Colorado River fishes.

4.2.1 Federal Capabilities

Of the 11 sites evaluated, 7 are federal facilities directly under the
administration of the U.S. Department of Interior. Hatchery facil ities
currently exist at only three of these sites; Willow Beach NFH, Dexter NFH,
and Hotchkiss NFH. Three of the remaining four sites are National Wildlife
Refuges chosen for consideration because of their location, land
availability, or water rights. These are the Ouray NWR, Fish Springs NWR,
and Browns Park NWR. The last federal site considered, Big Spring, is on
Indian Reservation land administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The largest production capability for the rare Colorado River fishes
currently exists within the three federal hatcheries named above. Together,
these facilities can produced an estimated 300,000 fingerlings per year.