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<br />.....-...... <br /> <br />captures of rare fishes by anglers each year; many are returned alive. In <br />addition, Colorado squawfish are prone to ingest live bait used by anglers for <br />catfish as well as artificial spoons or lures. It may be appropriate to <br />restrict uses of baits entirely, since hook removal from the fish can cause <br />mortality. The State of Colorado, in coordination with the Service, has <br />revised its sportfishing regulations to offset some of these problems. <br /> <br />(...) <br />I-' <br />.~ <br />W <br /> <br />Available data indicate that squawfish readily take a lure. This may provide <br />an opportunity to experiment with a sportfi5hery for squawfish now or after <br />their recovery (and delisting) to enhance the acceptance by the general public <br />of this species and its habitat needs, providing this activity does not <br />detract from the recovery program. Squawfish provided an important source of <br />food for early settlers and natives in this area. Hatcheries, as well as <br />natural reproduction (if recovered), could produce sufficient numbers of <br />squawfi5h to support a sportfi5hery in addition to meeting other stocking <br />needs. The goal of creating a sportfishery may be accomplished through <br />various means but will be dependent upon the biological and legal status of <br />the species until the species is recovered. <br /> <br />3.5.3 Selected Course of Action <br /> <br />a. Stocking of nonnative species will be confined to areas where absence of <br />potential conflict with rare or endangered species can be demonstrated. <br />This includes augmentation of existing populations of nonsalmonid fishes <br />and introductions of new populations of all nonnative fish species that <br />compete with or prey upon rare species. The States of Colorado. New <br />Mexico, and Utah and the Service will enter into agreements for <br />reviewing any proposed introductions into the San Juan Basin and <br />eliminating introductions that would conflict with recovery of the <br />endangered fish species. <br /> <br />b. The Service and the States will determine the impact from competition <br />and/or predation by nonnative fishes on the rare fishes. If competition <br />and predation from any nonnative species is determined, the States and <br />the Service will assess the feasibility of selectively removing those <br /> <br />27 <br />