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<br />. <br /> <br />DRAFT <br /> <br />3.0 ME'IBODOr.cx:;y <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />This investigation consisted of two work phases, during each of the 2 years of <br />study. Phase one involved the capture and implant of radiotransmitters into 10 <br />adult Colorado squawfish and 10 adult razorback suckers. A total of 20 <br />different fish of each species was radiotagged over the 2-year period. phase <br />one was conducted in two 10-day periods from mid to late October. Phase two <br />consisted of radiotracking the fish over a 4-month winter period from December <br />through March (Table 1). <br /> <br />3.1 IQJIPMENI' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Since the study area encompassed flatwater and whi tewater regions, both <br />aluminum jonboats and whitewater rafts were used. The jonboats were 16 feet <br />long, and powered by 25 or 35 hp Mercury outboards. One 14-foot jonboat with a <br />9.9 hp outboard was stored at Echo Park because winter road conditions often <br />prohibi ted trailoring a boat into the area. The whi tewater rafts included 17 <br />and 18-foot Riken Havasus with rowing frames and equiped with XD-25 hp Mercury <br />outboards for flatwater areas. A 16-foot jonboat and the l8-foot Havasu raft <br />were equipped with electrofishing systems which were removed later for <br />tracking. <br /> <br />During January and February of 1988, when the river was frozen through most of <br />the study area, access was by vehicle along shoreline roads. Much of the <br />tracking was done with cross-country skis on the frozen and snow-covered river <br />channel. Snowmobiles and quadratracks were found to be impractical because of <br />the unstable and rough nature of the river ice and the heavy shoreline <br />vegetation. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />3.1.1 Electrofishing <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />All adult Colorado squawfish and razorback suckers used in this study were <br />captured by electrofishing. Electrofishing was conducted during two field <br />trips in October (Table 1) primarily along shorelines or other suitable habitat <br />accessible by boat. A 220-volt DC system was used. It was powered by either a <br />4.5-kilowatt EMS Honda generator or a 3.5-kilowatt Homelite generator and <br />controlled by a Coffelt VVP-15 variable voltage pulsator. The normal operating <br />level was 90-200 volts and 4-10 amps, at 80 pulses per second with a 40 percent <br />pulse width. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />One or two netters dipped the fish from the bow of the boat. Actual <br />electrofishing time in seconds was recorded on the internal VVP-15 timers, and <br />used in calculating catch per unit effort (CPE) as numbers of fish per 10 hours <br />of effort. Adult squawfish and razorback suckers were held in live wells for <br />transport to a nearby mobile surgery station. Data from electrofishing runs, <br />including all pertinent data on target species, were recorded on field data <br />sheets provided by ms. Numbers of other species of fish were counted or <br />estimated by netters and recorded. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />. <br />