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\ ,..:4. ,1 . . FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE United States Department of the Interior Mountain-Prairie Region .- - - . IN REPLY REFER TO: MAILING ADDRESS: Post Offjce Box 25486 DenverFtderal Center Denver, Co/orodo 80225 STREEr LOCATION: 134 Union Blvd. LaIuwood, Colorado 80228 NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Connie Young (303) 236-298~ AGREEMENT REACHED ON STOCKING SPORT-FISH IN UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN April 19, 1994 (DENVER) -- Stocking of certain warm-water sport fish can continue in the upper Colorado River Basin, thanks to an interagency agreement on endangered fish protection released April 14 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. State wildlife agencies in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and the Fish and Wildlife Service jointly developed and endorsed the interim procedures to address the sometimes competing goals of recovering endangered Colorado River fish and stocking non-native fish, such as bass, crappie and bluegill. Trout species already in the Basin can be stocked anywhere in the upper Colorado River drainage and are not considered competitors with endangered fish. "This agreement will ensure that endangered fish are given full consideration before any non-native fish are stocked," said John Hamill, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist who heads a multi-agency program to recover endangered Colorado River fish. The procedures will be used on a trial basis this spring and summer, revised beginning in fall 1994 and finalized by March 1995, Public comments will be taken throughout this process. Once procedures are finalized, public comments still can be made on specific stocking proposals. "Anyone concerned about sport-fishing, environmental issues and recovery of endangered fish is encouraged to provide comments," Hamill said. -- more n Ci