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<br />PROCEDURES FOR STOCKING NONNATIVE FISH SPECIES <br />in the <br />UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN <br /> <br />I . BACKGROUND <br /> <br />The razorback sucker. bony tail , humpback chub. and Colorado squawfish are <br />considered "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The <br />"Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper <br />Colorado River Basin" (Recovery Program: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />1987) was developed to recover these fish. One of five elements of the <br />Recovery Program includes control or management of nonnative fishes and <br />sportfishing. <br /> <br />The "Procedures for Stocking Nonnative Fish Species in the Upper Colorado <br />River Basin" (Procedures) have been developed as a cooperative effort <br />between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the States of <br />Colorado. Utah, and Wyoming (States). The purpose of the Procedures is <br />to ensure that all future stocking of nonnative fish will be consistent <br />with recovery of the endangered fishes within the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin (Upper Basin: Figure 1). The San Juan River basin was not included <br />because it is being covered under a separate recovery effort. <br /> <br />The Procedures fulfill the requirement established in the Recovery <br />Program for the States and the Service to "develop procedures. including <br />studies, for reviewing and for resolving disagreements with any proposed <br />[fish] introductions into the upper basin" (U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Servi ce 1987). <br /> <br />II. GENERAL INTENT OF THE PROCEDURES <br /> <br />1. The general intent of these procedures is to reduce the potential <br />for negative impacts on the endangered fishes in the Upper Colorado <br />River Basin (Upper Basin) and to ensure that their recovery is not <br />inhibited by controlling stocking and escapement of stocked <br />nonnative fishes. <br /> <br />2. The Procedures categorize all nonnative fish stocking in the Upper <br />Basin into four sections: <br /> <br />A. When stocking is acceptable on a routine basis (see Section <br />IV.). <br /> <br />B. When stocking will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis (see <br />Section V.). <br /> <br />C. When stocking proposals involve introductions of ~ew fish <br />species into the Upper Basin (see Section VI). <br /> <br />D. When stocking of nonnative fishes in the Upper Colorado River <br />Basin is unacceptable (see Section VII). <br /> <br />1 <br />