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A feasibility study of DNA fingerprinting to determine the <br />relatedness of captive-reared razorback suckers will be completed <br />with a target date of June 30, 1996). If this genetic technique <br />provides the tool to ensure that family lots are unrelated, adults <br />of unknown pedigrees that are presently in captivity may be used <br />for broodstock. <br />In addition, 6,000 wild larval fishes were placed in a pond at the <br />Ouray National Fish Hatchery to obtain razorback suckers for <br />broodstock development and stocking. These larvae included a <br />mixture of species, including the flannelmouth and bluehead <br />suckers. One thousand (1,000) sucker fry (approximately 70 mm TL) <br />were collected from the pond on April 10, 1996. These fish could <br />not be identified to species without undo stress. Therefore, they <br />were released into another pond on the Ouray National Fish <br />Hatchery. After the second growing season (October, 1996), the <br />fish will be captured and identified to species. Surviving <br />razorback suckers will be used for broodstock development or <br />stocked into the Middle Green River, depending on whether they are <br />unrelated based on DNA fingerprinting. Based on expected survival <br />rates and proportions of razorback suckers in previous sampling and <br />identification efforts, it is estimated that about 25 razorback <br />suckers would survive until October, 1996. <br />B. Razorback Sucker - Upper Colorado River Stock. Razorback suckers <br />from Upper Colorado River, Etter Pond, Colorado River Arm of Lake <br />Powell, and San Juan River Arm of Lake Powell will be used to <br />develop a broodstock for the Upper Colorado River. There are too <br />few fish remaining in the wild to develop a broodstock from the <br />Upper Colorado River. The consensus of the Genetics Panel and <br />upper basin biologists during a meeting held on razorback suckers <br />in September, 1994 was that the broodstock should be developed from <br />a mixed stock (Wydoski 1994b). Eighteen wild adult razorbacks are <br />in captivity at the Grand Valley Endangered Fish Facility. <br />Progeny that are excess to broodstock development will be used for <br />augmentation stocking in Colorado River reaches that still contain <br />razorback suckers and for restoration stocking in river reaches <br />above barrier dams where the species has been extirpated. Emphasis <br />will continue on stocking these fish into the Gunnison River in <br />1996. The Colorado Division of Wildlife is working on a plan for <br />restoration stocking of razorback suckers upstream of the diversion <br />dams on the Colorado River. <br />During 1996, additional wild adult razorback suckers from the Upper <br />Colorado River and Lake Powell will be collection for continued <br />development of the Upper Colorado River broodstock. On January 23, <br />1996, the Biology Committee members agreed that wild adult fish <br />could be collected by Recovery Program participants during other <br />Program funded studies so additional funds from Recovery Program <br />Project No. 29e would not be needed. The FY 1996 scope-of-work for <br />Project No. 29e was revised for the collection of wild razorback <br />6