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<br />,'~} <br />,~:<:' <br /> <br />Title: <br /> <br />Maintenance of Hatchery stocks of Grand Canyon Humpback <br />Chubs <br /> <br />A. Lead Role and Participants. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife <br />service (Region 6) will be the primary lead for this effort. Dr. <br />W.J. Holt Williamson will serve as the Project Manager for the <br />basin wide propagation and genetic management plan for the Colorado <br />Squawfish, bony tail chub, humpback chub, and razorback sucker. <br />The preparation of a specific propagation and genetic management <br />plan for the Grand Canyon humpback chubs will be included as a part <br />of the basin-wide program and will be under the general direction <br />of and receive funding from agencies participation in the Recovery <br />Implementation Program. The Management and Technical Groups of <br />the Committee will ensure that all endangered fish stocks both in <br />existing hatcheries and the wild are considered in an overall <br />effort to protect existing gene pools and at the same time evaluate <br />the role hatcheries have in the recovery of the four protected or <br />rare species. FWS and Reclamation are represented on the groups <br />and committees and work statements are available for review by all <br />interested parties prior to funding. Specific funding for a lower <br />basin entity who would be responsible for development of the Grand <br />Canyon plan would be provided through the GCES program. <br /> <br />B. Purpose and Backqround. Concern for the protection of the <br />Little Colorado River population of Humpback chubs sterns from their <br />isolation from other humpback chub stocks and their apparent <br />genetic (phenotypic) uniqueness. Unfortunately, little is known <br />about the genetic and taxonomic relationship of the Little Colorado <br />River humpback chubs to other humpback chubs in the Upper Basin or <br />other Gila JillQ. in general. For this reason this conservation <br />measure will be conducted concurrently as a separate measure. The <br />use of hatcheries for maintenance of genetic pools, brood stock for <br />reintroduction and research, and as refugia should be analyzed <br />basin wide to ensure that wild stocks are not needlessly exported <br />to holding facilities without an overall understanding of the <br />fishes' eventual use. An evaluation of the need for a separate <br />refugium for the Grand Canyon humpback chub population will be <br />made. <br /> <br />c. ob;ectives and Goals. The goal of the propagation and <br />genetics management plan will be to provide a comprehensive <br />rationale for the conservation, protection, and recovery of the <br />four identified rare and endangered fish species in the Upper <br />Colorado River Basin (as well as Little Colorado River humpback <br />chub population) according to goals listed in appropriate recovery <br />and implementation plans. The Little Colorado River population <br />will be analyzed along with all other humpback chubs to evaluate <br />their genetic integrity as well as the most feasible way to ensure <br /> <br />8 <br />