WSP07920

• File Number: 8240.200.14.F
• Description: UCRBRIP Biology Committee
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1995
• Author: USFWS
• Title: Disposition of Captive-Reared Endangered Colorado River Fish/FONSI
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

should be reported at any time to the Propagation and Nonnative Fish
Coordinator who will notify appropriate persons of their availability.
Relevant information should be provided to the Coordinator such as the
numbers of fish that are available, size and/or age, specific stock,
breeding strategy used, etc.

.At a minimum, all captive-reared endangered fish in Program propagation
facilities will be summarized in an Annual Propagation Operation Plan.
In this annual plan, all fish that are no longer needed for specific
Program purposes will be identified as surplus to Program requirements.

Disposition of such fish will be done by priority:

1. Captive-reared endangered fish will be used to meet Program needs
for genetic refugia, broodstock development, approved Program
laboratory/field experiments, and planned augmentation or
restoration stocking.

2. Provide fish for other research studies that were not identified in
a~nual Program Statements-of-Work or in Table I of the Annual
Propagation Operation Plan.

3. Provide fish to agencies in the Lower Colorado River Basin for use
in research and.augmentation or restoration stocking.

4. Provide fish for information and education programs as well as
public display.

NOTE: Appropriate Federal and State permits must be obtained befor~
such fish are transferred. Contact the appropriate State
Supervisor, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service for information related to Federal permits: Coloradu
- [phone]; North Dakota - [phone]; Utah - (801)
524-5001; Wyoming - [phone]; or the Chief of
Endangered Species in the Regional Office in Denver, Colorado
- [phone].

5. Maintain fish for possible future use if space is available and the
cost is not prohibitive.

NOTE: Documentation of Priorities 1 through 5 will be made before
the disposition described in Priorities 6 and 7 are pursued.
The Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
will seek review and input from the Management Committee on
any action involving the disposition of captive-reared
endangered fish. The Regional Director is responsible for
actions related to endangered species is this Region and must
approve Priority 6 and 7 actions.

6. If fish are not used for purposes described in Items 1 through 5,
they will be euthanized following accepted protocol of the fisheries
profession (Nickum 1988). These specimens will be provided as

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