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<br />002755 <br /> <br />Colorado squawjish: Current facilities are inadequate to support full broodstock development and <br />restoration stocking. A genetic survey of the Colorado squawfish is in the final stages and will <br />provide information needed to maintain a diversified gene pool. The only stocking has been <br />experimental stocking on the White River. There are no plans to stock Colorado squawfish at this <br />time. Primary and backup refugia populations have been established for the Upper Colorado River <br />population of Colorado squawfish. No primary or backup refugia populations, or brood stock, exist <br />for the Yampa River, Desolation-Gray Canyons, or Gunnison River populations. <br /> <br />. Bony tail chub: The goal of preventing extinction ofbonytail chub in the wild in the Upper Basin has <br />not been achieved. Bonytail chub are functionally extirpated in the Upper Basin. Primary and backup <br />refugia have been established. The genetic survey will define the taxonomic status ofbonytail, and <br />the taxonomic status of individuals at the refugia have been evaluated and is being recorded. Bonytail <br />reintroduction has been an experimental basis only and experimental stocking will continue until 1998. <br />There is no plan for restoration/recovery stocking ofbonytail. Facilities are not available to support <br />restoration/recovery stocking ofbonytail at this time. <br /> <br />Humpback chub: The taxonomic status of the humpback chub populations are being resolved <br />through genetic surveys. Only 15 adult humpback chubs from the Black Rocks area are being <br />maintained in refuge. There is no backup refuge for this population. No refugia are being maintained <br />for the Yampa, Desolation-Gray Canyons, Westwater Canyon, or Cataract Canyon presumptive <br />stocks. No progress has been made in assessing potential reintroduction of augmentation sites or <br />development of production facilities. Facilities are not available to maintain brood stock for all of the <br />presumptive populations, or to support restoration/recovery stocking. <br /> <br />Sumnuuy: With respect to actually achieving goals stated in the official Recovery Plans regarding <br />propagation and genetics management needed for recovery, efforts by the Recovery Program are <br />seriously deficient. <br /> <br />Findings <br /> <br />I. Recovery plans for the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, and bonytail, and the Recovery <br />Program have identified propagation as an essential element in recovery. <br /> <br />-2. Since 1988, the Recovery Program has invested approximately $8.75 million in development <br />of propagation facilities at Ouray, Utah ($6.85 million), Horsethief State Wildlife Area, Grand <br />Junction, Colorado ($1.05 million), and Wahweap State Fish Hatchery, Utah ($850,000). <br /> <br />3. Of the four presumptive genetic stocks of Colorado squawfish, only one stock (Upper <br />Colorado River) is in refugia (3 family lots) and back-up refugia (17 family lots). Development <br />of brood stock for the Upper Colorado fish using a breeding matrix of 25 paired matings is on <br />hold because oflack offacility space. No broodstock have been developed for the three other <br />presumptive populations (Yampa, Desolation-Gray Canyon, Gunnison River) and none of the <br />three are in refugia. <br /> <br />XI <br />