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I• <br />CONCLUSIONS <br />300 warmwater anglers residing in western Colorado who said they at least fished <br />one day for warmwater fishes in 1995 were queried as to their preferences and <br />satisfactions with warmwater fishing currently available in western Colorado. <br />Channel catfish -36 %, largemouth bass -25 %, crappie -9 %o, smallmouth bass -6% and <br />bluegill -5 %, are the preferred species for these anglers, and also the fish most <br />• commonly managed by the CDOW in western slope waters. These anglers prefer to <br />fish in large reservoirs, the Colorado River, small reservoirs and small gravel ponds <br />managed by the state. <br />The popularity of channel catfish among westslope warmwater anglers may pose <br />problems for management agencies that are attempting to reduce the numbers of <br />• catfish that occur in the Colorado River, especially in the areas of critical habitat. <br />Currently, catfish are only stocked in select waters with approved management plans, <br />or waters where there is no conflict with native species. The large number of anglers <br />who prefer channel catfish and largemouth bass represent a portion of the angling <br />public that will need to be involved in future discussions of warmwater fish <br />management. <br />The majority of anglers, 63 %, are somewhat to very satisfied with the opportunities <br />currently available to them. However, there are a substantial number of anglers, <br />36 %, who are somewhat to very dissatisfied with warmwater fishing opportunities. <br />This minority represents a challenge to the Division in the likelihood of decreased <br />warmwater fishing opportunities due to the recovery effort for threatened and <br />endangered species. <br />The challenge presented by dissatisfied warmwater anglers is further complicated by <br />the fact that the majority of anglers surveyed, 55 %, are opposed to the proposed <br />pond reclamation project, and only 32% of warmwater anglers expressed support for <br />the proposed project. <br />A previous survey of the public in general, (USFWS, 1994) indicated that there was <br />overall general support among anglers and the general public alike for recovery of <br />native endangered or threatened fishes and efforts to control non - native fishes, but <br />that report did not focus on the group (warmwater anglers) who are likely to be most <br />impacted by recovery activities like the pond renovation project and removal of <br />warmwater species. This survey of warmwater anglers presents a different picture <br />of support for the proposed pond reclamation activities. <br />At the present time, most warmwater anglers are not well informed about the project <br />and this presents another challenge to the Division. Only 1 in 5 (19 %) expressed that <br />• <br />17 <br /> I• <br />