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Page 3 -- Squawfish Also, the "genetic makeup" may be different in hatchery-raised fish. "Genes that favor survival in the hatchery may De different from the genes that allow fish to do well in the wild," Bennett said. "It's best to maintain as much genetic variation as possible." Taki~ fish or eggs from the wild is one way to maintain genetic diversity in hatchery fish. But wild popuiations currently are very limited, and currently most hatchery-reared endangered fish come from only a handful of adults. Some biologists are concerned that this inbreeding from the "Adams and Eves" of the endangered fish could create offspring that are less able to adapt to the varied river habitat. Kaeding explained that hatcheries are an important part --but not all of the solution to recovering the fish. Hatchery-raised endangered fish can be used in research and in stocking stretches of river where the fish populations have severely dwindied or disappeared, according to the recovery implementation plan for the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, bony tail chub and razorback sucker. In fact the Colorado Water Conservation Board is overseeing a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a hatchery for all four rare fish. The facility could ~ used to produce fish for stocking, research and ,experimentation and to hold adults for brood stock and protection in "refugia." Complete reccmnendations on the proposed hatchery design, site, water supply, cost and fish culture techniques are expected in December 1991. But the recovery program does not call for stocking the fish full-scale like trout. That I S because recovery goals call for "self-sustaining" populations of fish. "Just stocking the fish without solving the habitat problems won't recover the species," Kaeding said. "If we have to depend on hatcheries, we will have failed in our efforts to recover the fish." more