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METHODS The number of fish stocked in the reservoir annually is based on surface acreage predictions provided the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Likewise, the number of fish to be stocked in each area is determined by calculating surface acreage and assigning the fish accordingly. The states of Wyoming and Utah share the stocking responsibility. Generally, Wyoming is responsible for planting the Inflow and the Open Hills Area to the pipeline crossing. Utah is responsible for planting the Canyon and Open Hills Areas south of the pipeline. Most trout stocked in Flaming Gorge during the project were distributed by barge. Barge planting is costly and requires a considerable number of mandays each year. A study was initiated in 1981 to evaluate differences in harvest of trout planted by barge versus trout stocked from shore. An experimental lot of rainbow trout from Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery was divided into two groups and marked before stocking in 1981. Fluorescent yellow dye was used to mark about 279,000 (49 percent) barged trout and an additional 292,000 (51 percent) trout were marked with fluorescent green dye and released from shore. These dye-marked fish were then stocked in the lower Open Hills and upper Canyon Area. Differences in return rates were evaluated through creel interviews during 1981 and 1982. Fin-clipping was a major part of the work schedule during the project Table 1. Almost 3 million fish were marked during the project. Evaluation of the returns of these species was accomplished through creel census and gill net surveys. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources introduced Bear Lake sculpin and Bonneville Cisco into Flaming Gorge Reservoir beginning in 1980. Wyoming per- sonnel helped collect ripe.ciscos at Bear Lake during January of 1981, 1982, and 1983. Bear Lake sculpin adults and egg masses were collected by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Schmidt et al. (1982a and 1982b) describe the methods used to collect, hatch, and stock the two forage species in Flaming Gorge. RESULTS During the project period (1977-1983) a total of 20.9 million trout were stocked in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Other fish plants included 1 million koka- nee salmon fry, 119,400 channel catfish and 10,000 smallmouth bass fry. Of the total number of trout planted, 75.8 percent were rainbow, 14.4 percent brown, 9.5 percent cutthroat trout, and 0.12 percent lake trout. Table 2.summarizes the numbers and species of fish planted in Flaming Gorge from 1963 to 1983. Tables 3 through 9 summarize the species, numbers, pounds, sources, and trout stocked per surface acre during the project period. About 571,300 rainbow trout were dye-marked during the project period for use during the study of barge planting the spring of 1981. Return of the two groups of rainbow trout slightly favored the shore stocking technique over barge distribution of fingerling domestic rainbow trout, although the difference was not statistically significant (Table 10). During 1983, only 60 percent of the fish stocked by Wyoming and none stocked by Utah were distributed by barge. -6-