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<br />002761 <br /> <br />1.0 Introduction <br /> <br />Four fish species that inhabit the Colorado River are federally listed as endangered: the Colorado <br />squawfish, the bonytail chub, the humpback chub, and the razorback sucker. In 1988, the Recovery <br />Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin <br />(Recovery Program) was established with the goal of recovering and delisting each of the endangered <br />fish species in the Upper Colorado River Basin while water development proceeds pursuant to <br />interstate compacts and state water law. The Recovery Program is part of a cooperative effort that <br />involves the Fish and Wtldlife Service; the Bureau ofRecIamation; the States of Colorado, Utah, and <br />Wyoming; and environmentalists and upper basin water users. <br /> <br />The objectives of this report are to (1) describe the role of stocking and genetics management in the <br />Recovery Program and in the individual recovery plans for the Colorado squawfish, bonytail chub, <br />and humpback chub, (2) describe the Recovery Program's accomplishments and future plans <br />concerning propagation facilities development, genetics management and stocking of native fishes, <br />(3) assess facilities needed to implement large-scale artificial propagation and stocking of the <br />endangered fishes, and (4) assess accomplishments of the Recovery Program with respect to <br />stocking/genetics goals stated in the recovery plans and the goals of the Recovery Program. <br /> <br />2.0 Stocking and Genetics Management in Recovery Program and Endangered Fish Recovery <br />Plans <br /> <br />Prior to the formation of the Recovery Program, recovery plans were developed for the Colorado <br />squawfish, bonytail chub, and humpback chub. The razorback sucker was not listed as endangered <br />until October of 1991 (Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 205, 23 October 1991). The recovery plan for <br />the razorback sucker is being developed and is expected to be available in draft for public review in <br />January, 1997. This draft recovery plan will include an ecosystem plan for all four endangered species <br />(Shanks 1996). <br /> <br />The role of stocking and genetics management in the Recovery Program and in the endangered fish <br />recovery plans for the Colorado squawfish, bonytail chub and humpback chub is discussed in this <br />section. <br /> <br />2.1 Recovery Program <br /> <br />One of the five recovery elements of the Recovery Program involves the rearing and stocking of <br />endangered fish species (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1987). This recovery element recognizes that <br />artificial propagation and stocking to increase populations of native Colorado squawfish, bonytail <br />chub, humpback chub, and razorback sucker are integral components of recovery. <br /> <br />In support of this element, the Recovery Program specifically called for a hatchery research program <br />to be conducted in order to determine (a) whether hatchery-reared populations would survive over <br />the long term after being stocked into the wild; and (b) whether there were sufficient hatchery <br />capabilities to raise needed quantities of rare species. If the research program confirmed that <br /> <br />I <br />