7879 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Table 1. Priorities among endangered fish species and among presumptive stocks within species for inclusion in refugia or broodstock development in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Species Presumptive Species Stock Mgt. Action stock priority 1/ priority 1/ priority 2/ Razorback sucker Middle Green/Yampa River 1 1 1 (Razorback-Jensen Bar) Upper Colorado River 1 2 2 Colorado River Arm of Lake Powell 1 3 Bonytail 3/ Upper Basin 2 - 5 Humpback chub 4/ Yampa River 3 2 Desolation-Gray Canyons 3 4 Black Rocks Canyon 3 1 3 Westwater Canyon 3 1 4 Cataract Canyon 3 3 Colorado squawfish 5/ Yampa River 4 3 Desolation-Gray Canyons of the Green River 4 4 Upper Colorado River 4 1 6 Gunnison River 4 2 jj Priority - 1 indicates the highest priority and 4 indicates the lowest priority for species or stocks. NOTE: Species priority was based on status and trends of the stocks as determined from catch-per-unit- of-effort; Stock priority was subjectively determined by considering historic abundance and distribution, identified spawning sites, recruitment, the possibility of catostrophic risk resulting in elimination of the stock, the probability of the stock being extirpated in the wild, and available space. 2/ The priorities for management actions are based on species, stock, status and trends of stocks, availability of facilities, and urgency for captive propagation. Immediate emphasis is on the development of razorback sucker broodstocks (Priorities 1 and 2). Management priority 3 was fulfilled, in part, in September, 1995 when 15 adult humpback chubs were captured in Black Rocks Canyon and place in refuge ponds at the Horsethief State Wildlife Area. The target date for management priority 4 is September, 1996. Target dates for completion of priorities 5 and 6 have not been established. J Bonytail are extremely rare in the upper basin; only occasional individuals are captured very infrequently; therefore, the probability of obtaining sufficient adult bonytails for broodstock development is very remote; a bonytail broodstock of Lake Mohave origin is in a genetic refuge at Dexter National Fish Hatchery; the Lake Mohave broodstock will be used to develop broodstocks for recovery efforts in the upper basin. 4/ A need for broodstock development of the humpback chub has not been identified for the upper basin because present stocks are considered stable and historical accounts do not suggest other potential stocks. Humpback chub from Black Rocks and Westwater Canyons may be at catastrophic risk and have been assigned a stock priority of 1 for inclusion in a genetic refuge. See comments in Footnote 2. J The Colorado Division of Wildlife identified a need for broodstock of Colorado squawfish of Upper Colorado River stock for reintroduction stocking above barriers on the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. This need is not as clear at the present time because construction of fish passage facilities may allow natural recolonization of this species. 12