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<br />0005Jl <br /> <br />The Recovery Program hosted a Nonnative Fish Management Control Workshop on <br />Febmary 13-]4,2002, in Grand Junction, Colorado. Attendees representing state and federal <br />agencies expressed dissatisfaction with the limited extent of the Recovery Program's public <br />involvement efforts: <br /> <br />J&E efforts to date have been inadequate or ineffective at informing the <br />Public as to the intent of the nonnative fish control program. <br /> <br />Workshop attendees recommended that the Recovery Program's ]&ECoordinator work with the <br />I&E Committee and local entities (i.e. Yampa River Basin Partnership) to improve the message <br />and communications. <br /> <br />During discussion, attendees said public feedback indicated that personnel representing various <br />state and federal agencies gave different explanations about why nonnative fish were being' <br />removed. Agency representatives were heard telling the public "it's the feds' fault" or "the state <br />requires this" and other similar explanations when anglers questioned removal of sportfish. <br /> <br />Yampa River <br /> <br />For the past two years, the Colorado Division of Wildlife has served as the project lead to <br />remove northern pike from sections of the Yampa River and relocate them to area ponds and <br />reservoirs. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and Colorado State University's Larval Fish <br />Laboratory are assisting with this work. <br /> <br />In 200], the I&E Committee drafted an informational flyer to distribute in the communities <br />affected by this work. Because it was the first year of the project and pilot efforts were being <br />changed as needed, concerns were raised that the information would be outdated and, thus," <br />inaccurate by the time the flyer was produced. For this reason, the flyer was never finished. Jn :- <br />addition, a news release was not prepared, again for the reason stated above. The Craig Daily <br />Press printed an article that quoted a "reliable source" who claimed to see FWS personnel <br />remove smallmouth bass from the river. The FWS was quoted in the same article saying that <br />only northern pike were removed. <br /> <br />CDOW hosted an angler's roundtable that was well attended with several participants expressing <br />dissatisfaction that what they considered a valuable sportfish would be sacrificed in favor of a <br />fish with no economic or food value. <br /> <br />CSU biologists reported being harassed by a private individual who followed them with a video <br />camera for several hours. Despite some isolated instances of people expressing dissatisfaction <br />with the project, work crews reported that there appeared to be public support for their work once <br />they explained the project's purpose. <br /> <br />PIP 127- NOlmative Fish -- 3 <br />