Sanctuary Commu

Sanctuary Commu

An Adaptive Managemen

An Adaptive Managemen

Bonytail Razorback 

Bonytail Razorback 

Humpback Chub???

Humpback Chub???
 Bonytail and

razorback sucker were:

 Historically abundant Decline linked to predation 

and habitat degradation.

 Federally Endangered

 Bonytail 23 April 1980 Razorback 23 October 1991

 Bonytail and Bonytail and

razorback sucker were: razorback sucker were:

 Historically abundant Historically abundant Decline linked to predation Decline linked to predation 

and habitat degradation. and habitat degradation.

 Federally Endangered Federally Endangered

 Bonytail 23 April 1980 Bonytail 23 April 1980 Razorback 23 October 1991 Razorback 23 October 1991

Brief History Brief History
Conservation Efforts Conservation Efforts

 1976 -

Colorado River Fisheries 

 USFWS offices in Grand Junction, 

Utah.

 1987 –

Recovery Implementat

(RIP) for Endangered Fishes in Colorado River Basin (15 yr) 

 1997 -

Multispecies Conservati

Praogram

 2002 -

the RIP was extended 1

 1976 

- Colorado River Fisheries 

Colorado River Fisheries 

 USFWS offices in Grand Junction, 

USFWS offices in Grand Junction, 

Utah.

 1987 

– Recovery Implementati

Recovery Implementat

(RIP) for Endangered Fishes in 

(RIP) for Endangered Fishes in 

Colorado River Basin (15 yr) Colorado River Basin (15 yr) 

 1997 

- Multispecies Conservati

Multispecies Conservati

Praogram Praogram

 2002 

- the RIP was extended 1

the RIP was extended 1
Stocking Stocking Progra

Progra

 Lower Basin Lower Basin

 15 million small fish stocked 15 million small fish stocked 110K Large (>20 cm) RZB stock

110K Large (>20 cm) RZB stock

 Survival<5%, Survival<5%,

 BT To few # to determine (<1%

BT To few # to determine (<1%

 Upper Basin Upper Basin 

 Survival for both low Survival for both low

 Losses

 Predation Predation Passage Passage Stress
The Results of RECO

The Results of RECO

The Results of RECO

18 years of effort, $100,000,000+ 18 years of effort, $100,000,000+Wild populations are gone (<.001%) Wild populations are gone (<.001%) Survival of stocked fish is extremely Survival of stocked fish is extremely 

low (<5%). low (<5%).

Predation is preventing sustainable Predation is preventing sustainable 

natural recruitment. natural recruitment.

And..all attempts to control predators attempts to control predators 

in the mainstem river have YET to in the mainstem river have YET to be shown to benefited natives. be shown to benefited natives.

What have we lea

What have we lea
Minckley et al. 2003. Minckley et al. 2003. A Conserva

A Conserva

Native Fishes of the Lower Color

Native Fishes of the Lower Color

BioScience Vol. 53:219 BioScience Vol. 53:219

-234.

It’s an economically and scienviable approach to benefit the resource managers, and hoperecovery efforts. We want to program on success. 

It’s an economically and scien

It’s an economically and scien

viable approach to benefit the 

viable approach to benefit the 

resource managers, and hope

resource managers, and hope

recovery efforts. recovery efforts. We want to 

We want to 

program on success. program on success. 
Cibola High Levee P

Cibola High Levee P

Cibola National Wildlife Re

Cibola National Wildlife Re

Cibola, Arizona Cibola, Arizona

-California California
Chronology of Cibo

Chronology of Cibo

 It was a grow It was a grow-out pond out pond 1993 chemically renovated 1993 chemically renovated  1993

-1995 stocked 1995 stocked

 Larger fish harvested each 

Larger fish harvested each 

 1998 Recruitment is docum

1998 Recruitment is docum

 2001 USGS/FWS/ASU stud

2001 USGS/FWS/ASU stud
What We Learned Th

What We Learned Th

Bonytail ( Bonytail (Gila elegan

Gila elegan

 Natural Recruitment Natural Recruitment  Large annual spawns Large annual spawns Spawn 1 Spawn 1st year 6,000+ ‘wild’ adults 6,000+ ‘wild’ adults
Razorback Sucke

Razorback Sucke

(Xyrauchen texanu

Xyrauchen texanu

 Natural Recruitment Natural Recruitment Intermittent years Intermittent years 1,000 large suckers. 1,000 large suckers.
What We’ve Lear

What We’ve Lear

 Unparalleled Access Unparalleled Access

 Access to the complete life stages 

Access to the complete life stages 

 We have a better understand of th

We have a better understand of th

isolated oxbow isolated oxbow communities. communities.
This Has Become My C

This Has Become My C

Sanctuary Syste

Sanctuary Syste
The Benefits The Benefits

 Maintain genetic diversity, Maintain genetic diversity, We’re going to learn managem

We’re going to learn managem

 Is the Recovery Plan Feasible? Is the Recovery Plan Feasible?

 Establish population with Establish population with 

 NATURAL RECRUITMENT. NATURAL RECRUITMENT.  All life stages, All life stages, Easy access, Easy access, 

 Produce large fish for augment

Produce large fish for augment
“This Is A This Is A Too

A small step toward Rec

A small step toward Rec

A huge step toward Cons

A huge step toward Cons

Sanctuaries provide oppo

Sanctuaries provide oppo

for researchers and mana

for researchers and mana

currently can not be lea

currently can not be lea

tested in the river

tested in the river
What Do Sanctuaries Ha

With Humpback Ch

What Do Sanctuaries Ha

What Do Sanctuaries Ha

With Humpback Ch

With Humpback Ch

 Is the species secure? Is the species secure? Can you control predators? Can you control predators? Can you guarantee against cata

Can you guarantee against cata

loss?

 Do you understand its complet

Do you understand its complet

 Do you have sufficient data? Do you have sufficient data? Do you sure Recovery is going 

Do you sure Recovery is going 
IF NOT;

Consider what a pond of natreproducing humpback chu

mean to the:

Security of the speciesTo your management gTo political and public And to recovery.

IF NOT; IF NOT;

Consider what a pond of nat

Consider what a pond of nat

reproducing reproducing humpback humpback chu

chu

mean to the: mean to the:

Security of the species

Security of the species

To your management g

To your management g

To political and public s

To political and public 

And to recovery. And to recovery.