Trout Ad Hoc Group (TAHG) 

Established 10/20/2015 

Members – Bill Stewart (Chair), Seth Shanahan, Brian Healy, Mark Anderson, Chris Budwig, 

Joe Miller, Craig Ellsworth, Jessica Neuwerth, Paul Harms, Kurt Dongoske, Kerry Christensen, 

John Jordan, Vineetha Kartha 

TAHG charge – The TAHG will evaluate the GCMRC technical review of the Lees Ferry 

Recreational Trout Fishery Management Recommendations per the AMWG motion on 

8/27/2015, and make a recommendation to the TWG at our January 2016 meeting. The TWG 

will consider the recommendation and make findings to the AMWG at its February 2016 

meeting. 

Review: 

In the December 9, 2015 “Technical review of the Lees Ferry Recreational Trout Fishery 

Management Recommendations” memo to the TWG chair, GCMRC submitted an updated and 

final review in response to comments and suggestions received from the TWG regarding points 

of clarifications and topics that were not included in their initial review. This final review was 

limited to scientific and technical matters, and for recommendations where no scientific or 

technical information was presented, GCMRC refrained from commenting. The Trout Ad Hoc 

Group (TAHG) evaluated the GCMRC technical review of the Lees Ferry Recreational Trout 

Fishery Management Recommendations (Recommendations) per the TWG charge. 

The TAHG evaluation was conducted with the following sideboards: 

1. Recommendations must be fully consistent with the “Law of the River” and DOI policy 

considerations. 

2. Recommendations that fall under the purview of water and natural 

resource management agencies such as Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, 

United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department will 

require additional evaluation with these management agencies for further consideration. 

3. Recommendations that address dam operations are expected to be considered and 

evaluated in the ongoing Long Term Experimental and Management Plan Environmental 

Impact Statement. 

There was uniform agreement by the TAHG membership that the GCMRC technical review is 

comprehensive. In addition, the TAHG respondents found GCMRC’s review either supported or 

was neutral / non-committal on thirteen of the fifteen individual recommendations. There was 

not uniform agreement on the GCMRC review conclusions on two of the recommendations: (1) 

Minimum Flows and (2) Stocking in the Event of a Catastrophic Fishery Failure. The TAHG 

concluded that while both Minimum Flows and Stocking are subjects for future discussion the 

Stocking issue is substantially determined by the provisions of the Park Service’s 

comprehensive Fishery Management Plan and the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s 

Fisheries Management Plan Colorado River – Lees Ferry (2015-2025). 

The TAHG also identified areas where additional research is needed and where the GCMRC 

technical review could be expanded to provide a more comprehensive review. 
Conclusions: 

1. The TAHG review concluded that GCMRC review is generally comprehensive although it 

could be expanded in some areas. 

2. Additional discussion/clarification is needed by the TWG and GCMRC on the scientific 

basis of the minimum flow recommendation and the need for stocking in the event of a 

catastrophic failure of the Lees Ferry trout fishery 

3.	 The TWG should identify outstanding research questions that should be addressed to 

better inform the implementation of the Lees Ferry Recreational Trout Fishery 

Management Recommendations. 

Recommendation: 

The TAHG recommends that the TWG recommend that the AMWG accept the GCMRC 

technical review of the Lees Ferry Trout Fishery Management Recommendations based on the 

TAHG evaluating the GCMRC technical review of the Recommendations and finding the review 

to be comprehensive and the review to be supportive, neutral or noncommittal on the individual 

recommendations with two exceptions. One exception being the Minimum Flow 

recommendation with agreement that research should continue to evaluate the effects of lower 

flows and to develop scientifically based minimum flows. The other exception being Stocking In 

the Event of a Catastrophic Failure and the impact on the dependent economic community be 

included in the determination for stocking and with the understanding that stocking is 

substantially determined by the provisions of the Park Service Comprehensive Fishery 

Management Plan and the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Fisheries Management Plan 

Colorado River – Lees Ferry (2015-2025). 

In addition the TWG requests that the AMWG, with the acceptance of the Lees Ferry 

Recommendations, instruct the TWG to consider the requirements for implementation of the 

Recommendations including additional research that should be included in the work plan. 
Bill Stewart (Chair), Seth Shanahan, Brian Healy, MarkAnderso

Budwig,Joe Miller, Craig Ellsworth,Jessica Neuwerth, Paul Ha

Kurt Dongoske, Kerry Christensen,John Jordan,Vineetha Kart
1. Aquatic Food Base Enhancement through Experimen

Repatriation and "Bug Flows"

2. Dam Operations3. Minimum Flows4. Fall and Spring High Flow Experiments (HFEs)5. ExperimentalTrout Management Flows6. Equalization Flows7. Fishing Regulations8. Marble CanyonTrout Fishery9. RiparianVegetation Restoration10. Stocking in the Event of

a Catastrophic Fishery Failur

11. Low Dissolved Oxygen Response Protocol12. Temperature Control Device13. BypassTube ElectricalGeneration14. IntroduceTurbidity15. Monitoring and Measurement of ManagementTrigge
The Secretary’s Designee directsGrand Canyo

Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) to c

a technical review of the Lees Ferry Recreation

Fishery Management Recommendation and refindings to theTWG, and directs theTechnical

Group (TWG) to evaluate theGCMRC review aOctober 2015 meeting, and report its findings 

AMWG at its February 2016 meeting.
 GCMRC presented initial review (6 recommendatio

 TWG requested additional feedback on remaining 9

recommendations.

 TWG established theTroutAd HocGroup (TAHG) TAHG charge – TheTAHG will evaluate theGCMRC 

review of the Lees Ferry RecreationalTrout FisheryManagement Recommendations per theAMWG m

8/27/2015, and make a recommendation to theTWG 

January 2016 meeting.TheTWG will consider therecommendation and make findings to theAMWG 

February 2016 meeting.
 TAHG met Nov 9, Dec 7, and

Jan 14

 GCMRC memo toTWG

(Dec. 9th, 2015)

 Comment forms provided

(summary of comments inTAHG report)

 Sideboards

 Law of the River Management agencies

responsibilities

 LTEMP EIS

 Future work plan items
1. TheTAHG review concluded thatGCMRC review is generally

comprehensive although it could be expanded in some areas

2. Additional discussion/clarification is needed by theTWG and

the scientific basis of the minimum flow recommendation an

for stocking in the event of a catastrophic failure of the Lees 

fishery.

3. TheTWG should identify outstanding research questions tha

addressed to better inform any implementation of the Lees FRecreationalTrout Fishery Management Recommendations.
TheTAHG recommends that the TWG recommend that the AMWG accep

technical review of the Lees Ferry Trout Fishery Management Recommen

the TAHG evaluating theGCMRC technical review of the Recommendatio

the review to be comprehensive and the review to be supportive, neutral 

on the individual recommendations with two exceptions. One exception 

Minimum Flow recommendation with agreement that research should co

evaluate the effects of lower flows and to develop scientifically based min

other exception being Stocking In the Event of a Catastrophic Failure an

the dependent economic community be included in the determination fo

with the understanding that stocking is substantially determined by the p

Park Service Comprehensive Fishery Management Plan and the ArizonaG

Department’s Fisheries Management Plan Colorado River – Lees Ferry (20In addition the TWG requests that the AMWG, with the acceptance of the Recommendations, instruct theTWG to consider the requirements for an

implementation of the Recommendations including additional research tincluded in the work plan.