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<br />selected because it was along the Green River inhabited by the last concentration of razorback suckers. In <br />1992, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) initiated a tluust to develop a facility to serve as a refuge, <br />technology development, and propagation for the endangered Colorado River fishes. An arrangement was <br />made with the Service's refuge manager to develop an area on the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge that was <br />an abandoned ranch. An Environmental Assessment was completed in August, 1992 that resulted in a <br />Finding of No Significant Impact (Toney 1992). <br /> <br />In 1993, the Recovery Program developed "Genetics Management Guidelines" (Williamson and Wydoski <br />1994) to ensure that genetic diversity of various stocks would be maintained in the wild and during captive <br />propagation. The Recovery Program also developed a"Coordinated Hatchery Facility Plan: Need for <br />Captive-Reared Endangered Fish and Propagation Facilities" (Wydoski 1994) to characterize stocks in the <br />upper basin, detennine status and trends, establish priorities for propagation, and detennine immediate and <br />short-tenn needs for endangered fish and propagation facilities. Finally, the Recovery Program developed a <br />draft "Genetics Management Plan" (Wydoski 1995) to guide decision-making on natural and captive <br />propagation activities. <br /> <br />Since 1987, Service staff at the Ouray Endangered Fish Facility have gained valuable knowledge, skills, and <br />abilities in culture of the endangered Colorado River fishes in the Upper Basin. In addition, other Recovery <br />Program participants have been involved in the culture of these fishes. A close relationship with the Dexter <br />National Fish Hatchery and Fish Technology Center, that specializes in endangered fish culture and <br />technology, provides ready consultation on a variety of issues regarding endangered fish propagation. <br /> <br />VI. Study area: <br /> <br />The Upper Colorado River Basin in the States of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, excluding the San Juan <br />River drainage. Sites that are selected for construction of propagation facilities. <br /> <br />VII. Methods/Approach: <br /> <br />Overview <br /> <br />The Biology Committee Work Group will detennine the need for captive-reared endangered fishes and <br />propagation facilities in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Immediate (I year) and short-tenn needs (2-5 <br />years) for captive-reared endangered fishes and propagation were identified for the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin (Wydoski 1994). Long-tenn (5 years or longer) are being identified at the present time. Immediate <br />needs involve protection of wild stocks from becoming extinct. Short-tenn needs involve development and <br />maintenance of genetically sound brooclstocks in refuges and the production of captive-reared fish for <br />augmentation and stocking plans. Long-tenn needs involve anticipated augmentation and restoration <br />stocking. <br /> <br />Currently, three pennanent propagation facilities are available to the,RJP: Ouray National Fish Hatchery UT <br />(10.8 acres), Grand Valley Endangered Fish Facility CO (8.5 acres), and 4.0 acres of ponds (10 ponds) at the <br />Wahweap State Fish Hatchery UT. <br /> <br />Propagation Facilities Required for the Recoverv Program <br /> <br />Immediate and short-tenn needs for endangered fish for captive propagation were identified by the Biology <br />Committee, including (I) maintaining stocks with a potential for catastrophy in refuges, (2) development of <br />broodstocks for experimental, augmentation, and restoration stocking, and (3) captive-reared fish for priority <br />research. The Genetics Panel recommended that 25 paired matings of the endangered fish be made to <br />maintain genetic diversity that is similar to the wild stock that serve as founders for the broodstock <br />(Williamson and Wydoski 1994). Fishery geneticists agree that even rare alleles can be retained if 50 adult <br />wild fish are used in developing the broodstock. The Biology Committee has concurred with the <br />recommendation of the Genetics Panel. However, long-tenn needs for endangered fish are still evolving and <br />are being estimated at the present time. <br /> <br />The immediate and short-tenn needs for captive propagation facilities for endangered fish include two <br />primary refuges, one backup refuge, and growout or production ponds. Although the Recovery Program <br />bottleneck is the lack of recruitment due to high mortality in the early life stages of the endangered fishes, <br />stocking is the fishery management tool to build up the number of adult endangered fish so that natural <br /> <br />OS/22/98 <br /> <br />4 <br />