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<:) C) ~ [u .....1 00 accomplished. The MEC will be placed near shore in moderate-velocity current. Water depth at the collection location will be measured at the beginning and end of each set. Fishes collected during the sampling-set will be immediately preserved in sampling jars containing unique field numbers and 5% buffered formalin. If the amount of suspended debris precludes in-river sorting oflarvae, the debris will be retained (following the sampling protocol for drift nets) in one-gallon plastic bags, labeled with unique field numbers, and preserved in 10% buffered formalin. Bulk drift material will be allowed to "cure" for at least two days before samples are sorted and fish specimens separated from debris. All samples will be processed (sorted, identified, enumerated) and specimens accessioned into the Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico. Each specimen will be assigned to a developmental stage aecording to Snyder (1976). Fish too small to be accurately identified to species or genus will be assigned familial designations. S peeimens also will be assigned to a drift or incidental eategory. The former category refers to individuals with minimal or no control over their longitudinal movement. The latter classification refers to individuals whose developmental stage should have allowed them to avoid passive capture. Fish deemed "incidental" will be reported in the initial data summary, but will not be considered in subsequent drift analyses. Fish density will be calculated as the number of individuals per 100 m3 of water filtered. Water quality parameters at eaeh site will be measured at the time drift nets are set. These parameters are water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and salinity. Ambient temperature will also be detennined. Water temperature will be detennined hourly with a thermograph at each drift station for the duration of annual drift monitoring. All information obtained for each set will be recorded on standard field forms; completed forms will be accessioned to the Museum of Southwestern Biology. In addition to measured parameters, notes on general conditions (e.g., weather and water turbidity) will be recorded on each field form. Draft annual reports on the results of passive drift netting will be prepared and submitted by 31 March of the year following completion of the work. The report will provide summary statistics for each larval fish sampling site, and will minimally include species and number of specimens per species per day, relevant catch rate data, and water quality information. Original field notes will be retained in the Division of Fishes and collection information will be electronically stored in a permanent MSB database program, Electronic copies of the field and collection data will be transferred to the San Juan River database manager by 31 March of the year following completion of the work. Five-year summary reports that integrate and synthesize data from annual reports will be prepared. Appropriate statistical procedures will be used to analyze data and assess differences in fish densities by loeality, sampling date, and sampling time. LARV AL FISH - SEINING (RAZORBACK SUCKER) The sampling methods to be employed for monitoring of razorback sucker in 1999 are those that yielded the first documentation of reproduetion by this species in the San Juan River. This inclusive sampling protocol will be re-evaluated annually for five years to detennine the most efficient and informative methodology for this phase of the monitoring program. ~ Draft Long Term Monitoring Plan - SJRIP Biology Commillce