Established in 1992, the Recovery Program is a voluntary, cooperative program involving Native American tribes, federal and state agencies, and water development interests in Colorado and New Mexico.
The main goals implemented through the program are to conserve populations of the Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback sucker, and to continue with the water development in the Basin in compliance with Federal and state laws, interstate compacts, Supreme Court decrees and federal trust responsibilities to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Nation and the Navajo Nation.
As a result of the cooperative effort, biologists are seeing signs of recovery in both the razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow populations. Stocked fish have been captured at spawning sites in reproductive condition and captures of young fish in the San Juan River demonstrate that these endangered fish are successfully reproducing. Overall habitat for native fish in the river has improved and water development for agricultural, municipal and hydroelectric projects has been able to continue.
The programs early years consisted of extensive research into the habitat and life requirements of the fish species," said David Campbell, the programs director. "We are now at a juncture where recommended management actions are improving the quality of river habitat. This is reflected in growing populations of razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow. The extension of the program will allow for continued efforts to recover these rare fish."
For more information, call 505-761-4745 or visit the Recovery Programs website: http://southwest.fws.gov/sjrip.
Visit the Services website at http://www.fws.gov.
