Notice of Intent to Award Only

Description

The purpose of project is to protect five federally listed fish species (spikedace, loach minnow, Gila chub, Gila topminnow, and razorback sucker) and other native fish in the Gila River basin as identified in the Fish and Wildlife biological opinions for the operations of the Central Arizona Project canal. The Gila River Basin Native Fishes Conservation Program (GRBNFCP), a multi-agency program established to oversee the implementation of the terms and conditions of the FWS biological opinions, has identified specific tasks for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (Department) to undertake to both fulfill their fish and wildlife management mandates under State authorities as well as assist the GRBNFCP in accomplishing its objectives. A high priority of the GRBNFCP is to replicate remaining populations of federally listed species through repatriation and establishment of populations into suitable, protected waters. The GRBNFCP has identified the need to acquire fish of rare populations of the listed aquatic species with a focus on Loach Minnow and Spikedace for maintenance and propagation within the Aquatic Research and Conservation Center (ARCC) or other suitable fish hatcheries. Intensive, directed efforts to capture individuals or to acquire them from Native American Nations or New Mexico, bring them into a holding/propagation facility, build their numbers, augment source stocks, and replicate populations into streams, must occur in the immediate future. Captured or acquired fish will be transported alive to ARCC. Collection of fish will occur during any environmental conditions appropriate for traditional sampling gears, but more extensive efforts will be made during autumn months following any significant spring floods. Once stocks are secure in protected refuges and propagation has been successful, stocks will be replicated into streams agreed upon by Reclamation, the AZGFD, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This same strategy will be applied to Gila chub if they continue to decline.

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