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<br />\;lll%O <br /> <br />Ralph Morgenweck <br />Chairman, <br />Implementation Committee <br /> <br />~uPper Colorado River <br />Endangered Fish <br />. Recovery Program <br /> <br />Robert Muth <br />Director, <br />Recovery Program <br /> <br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . P.O. Box 25486 . Denvsr Federal Csnler . Denver. CO 80225 . (303) 969.7322 . Fax (303) 969-7327 <br /> <br />RECOVERY PROGRAM DIRECTOR'S UPDATE <br /> <br />September 2004 <br /> <br />Status of the Endangered Fishes <br /> <br />As stated in the recovery goals for the four endangered fishes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />(Service) considers a reliable population estimate as one that is based on a multiple mark- <br />recapture model. Monitoring must be designed to determine if the demographic criteria of the <br />recovery goals are being met. Accordingly, in the Upper Colorado River Basin, c1osed- <br />population, multiple mark-recapture estimators are being used to derive population point <br />estimates for Colorado pikeminnow and humpback chub. The accuracy and precision of each <br />point estimate will be assessed by the Service in cooperation with the Recovery Program and in <br />consultation with investigators developing the point estimates and with qualified statisticians and <br />population ecologists. In addition to the demographic criteria, the recovery goals identify site- <br />specific management actions/tasks ("recovery factor criteria") to minimize or remove threats. <br />Details of these and other management actions/tasks that contribute to recovery in the upper <br />basin are identified in the Recovery Program's Recovery Implementation Program Recovery <br />Action Plan (RIPRAP). <br /> <br />A population estimates workshop was held in December 200 I to assess sampling protocols and <br />data analyses; targets for probability of capture and coefficient of variation were recommended <br />to help judge confidence in the point estimates. A second workshop was held this past August to <br />further assess, discuss and understand the point estimates and trends. Results indicated the <br />recommended targets for probability of capture and coefficient of variation are not being met for <br />humpback chub point estimates, hence confidence around those estimates is broader. An Ad <br />Hoc group of species experts are reviewing the infonnation along with life history and <br />environmental variables affecting estimates and population dynamics. A summary of this effort <br />is expected this fall. <br /> <br />The most current estimates of the mean number of wild adult Colorado pikeminnow and <br />humpback chub are shown in Table I. Many of these estimates are preliminary (analyses <br />ongoing), and some are contained in draft reports undergoing peer and Biology Committee <br />review. This table also provides a general overview of efforts to augment or reestablish <br />razorback sucker and bonytai/ populations in the Upper Colorado River Basin. <br /> <br />Colorado River Energy Distributors Association. Colorado Water Congress. NatIonal Park Service. State 01 Colorado <br />State of Utah. Slate of Wyoming. The Nature Conservancyr U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. U.S. Fish and Wlldlile Service <br />Utah Water Users Association. Western Area Power Adm;nistralion . Weslern Resource Advocates. Wyoming Water Association <br />