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<br />~ <br />to":l <br />00 <br />~~ <br />( ~:) <br />C".) <br /> <br />Funding for the SJRIP primarily came from the Bureau and BIA, with additional funding from the USFWS <br />and some Indian Tribes, and from in-kind contributions of personnel time from all involved agencies. The <br />SJRIP used the policy of adaptive management to guide research and monitoring activities throughout the <br />7 -year research period. <br /> <br />The term "recovery" was used throughout the SJRIP documents, including this report, to mean recovery <br />of the San Juan River populations of the two endangered fish species. When the SJRIP was initiated, a <br />recovery plan for Colorado pikeminnow guided recovery activities throughout the Colorado River Basin, <br />and the SJRIP activities were designed to fit into that plan. A recovery plan for razorback sucker was not <br />complete at that time, so SJRIP activities were designed to be the most logical for recovery in the San Juan <br />River. In late 1999 and early 2000, the USFWS (Denver) initiated a project to develop recovery criteria <br />for both Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker at the species level, rather than at a given river basin <br />level (i.e., San Juan River). Although still in draft fonn, the documents (Valdez et al. 2000 a, 2000b) are <br />providing population size criteria and the number of populations needed for downlisting (from endangered <br />to threatened) and delisting. Therefore, the term "recovery" has a somewhat different meaning under this <br />new activity, recovery of the species. 'Throughout this document, "recovery" relates to the San Juan River <br />populations only, unless otherwise specified. It is the intent of the SJRIP to provide demographically and <br />genetically viable populations of Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker in the San Juan River that <br />will aid in recovery of the two species throughout their range. Demographically viable populations are self- <br />sustaining with natural recruitment and an appropriate size and age-structure. Genetically viable populations <br />are of sufficient size that inbreeding issues are not a concern. <br /> <br />DOCUMENT PURPOSE <br /> <br />The primary goals of the SJRIP studies were (1) to detennine the factors that were limiting the endangered <br />and other native fishes and (2) to detennine ways to reduce or eliminate the important limiting factors in the <br />San Juan River so the two endangered fish species could be recovered. This report synthesizes the results <br />of the 7-year research period, identifies factors likely limiting population size of the endangered and other <br />native fishes, and defines future direction for the SJRIP. A brief summary of various studies that were <br />undertaken during the 7-year research period is provided in Chapter 2. Results of these studies are <br />integrated in Chapter 3, which discusses how well the research answered questions about limiting factors <br />and recovery of the two endangered fish species. Chapter 4 discusses accomplishments of the SJRIP, and <br />Chapter 5 discusses the SJRIP's future direction by emphasizing recovery needs. A revisedLRP is being <br />prepared concurrently with this document, and it will guide the SJRIP into the future. <br /> <br />September 2000 <br /> <br />1 - 3 <br /> <br />Program Evaluation Report <br />