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Fisheries Activities

The native fish augmentation program goal is to conserve the population of the once flourishing native fish community and contribute to the recovery of the razorback sucker and bonytail. In order to accomplish this, the LCR MSCP will, over the life of the program, provide the effort necessary to raise and stock approximately 660,000 razorback suckers and 620,000 bonytail greater than 300mm in length in the reach of the river between Davis Dam and Imperial Dam (reaches 3-5).  This extensive fish augmentation program cannot be accomplished without substantial brood stocks of razorback and bonytail. These brood stocks must be of sufficient quantity and quality to sustain program needs for many years.

The program currently uses two razorback sucker brood stocks; one maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) at Dexter National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center located in Dexter, New Mexico, and the second is the Lake Mohave population of razorback suckers.  The Lake Mohave population of razorbacks is recognized as the most genetically diverse stock of the species.  To help protect and enhance this razorback genotypic variability, the LCR MSCP stocks razorbacks into Lake Mohave (reach 2).  The LCR MSCP also provides significant funding for the only brood stock of bonytail in the world, located and maintained at the Dexter National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center.

The following table gives the number of razorback sucker and bonytail stocked into the lower Colorado River.

Updated October 16, 2012