The United States fish and wildlife is conducting one of the more appauling violations of our freedoms in the Colorado River basin.
Several species of unwanted fish, a squawfish, a sucker, and a pair of chubs, are endangered on the Colorado River because the massive Hydroelectric dams make the water cold, and block the spawning routes of these fish. The Colorado River's massive volume, third largest of any river in North America besides the Mississippi and Columbia is basically totally drained due to the diversion of the river at the International Border into a pair of gigantic irrigation canals that are larger than even some big rivers. In fact, the All American Canal System has a greater volume of water than the entire Ohio River.
These fish are nearly extinct, and the only way to save them would be to remove all these dams, and to stop diverting water into the canals. But these structures are neccessary to provide us with power, and the water to grow our food in places that do not get any rain. Without them we in the West wouldn't exist.
So knowing that they cannot remove these structures, the tyrannical federal agency, along with the bumbling state angencies in the west has decided to wipe out most gamefish within the Colorado River basin. They claim that this will save them, even when independant science shows they do little harm to what is left of the endangered fish.
Back in the 1960's, the native fish, while declining due to habitat loss, still existed in good numbers in many rivers in the Colorado drainage. The fish and wildlife then proceeded to dump 20,000 gallons of the poison rotenone into 445 miles of the Green and San Juan River basins, to rid the rivers of fish considered garbage by the public. This was to make way fro trout, bass, pike, catfish, and others. This basically wiped out what was left of the endangered fish. However, many other native fish in the river basin are not endangered, though they are very similiar to the ones that are. Due to the fact that harvest of the non endangered natives is banned, they have exploded in many reaches of the river and are more numerous than gamefish. Therefore, they are a bigger reason than gamefish for the further decline of the trashies.
In 1973, a terrible law, a law that has taken away the rights of more people than any other, the well intentioned ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, was passed. It gave the US Fish and Wildlife the order to help preserve endangered species. Yet it did not give them the power or require them to remove gamefish from rivers, even though they aren't native, to supposedly aid some trashfish no one wants.
Since 1999, they have been removing gamefish populations from many of our rivers. These rivers are some of the best fishing spots you can think of. Due to the poor and idiotic fish management in Colorado and Utah, these areas are the best fisheries.
The Colorado River from Grand Junction to Lake Powell has some of the finest Channel Cat fishing in the West. Catching your fill of 3 - 10 pounders is the norm, and 30 pound fish are fairly common. Below lake powell, in Arizona, the cold, nutrient rich water from Glen Canyon dam provides for a high baitfish population, thus turning this formerly desolate river into one of the better Rainbow Trout fisheries around. Trout even naturally reproduce in these waters, which stay in the 50 degree range, rather than 80 degrees.
Perhaps the crown Jewel of them all is the Yampa River. This is a large, slow moving river that feeds the Green River, and it once supported the best Northern Pike fishery in the state. Now, it supports a unique, special fishery for smallmouth bass. This may be the best smallmouth fishery in the entire west. Scores of 2 - 6 pound, fat, strong smallies populate the river, and bring in much revenue for this economically devastated region.
The northern pike population of the yampa was ruined. While some of the fish were relocated to lakes, many were simply killed and thrown upon the bank . Where we once enjoyed landing 20 or more pike in the 20 - 46" range, catching only a couple pike is a good day.
The channel catfish in the Colorado River were also harmed. Thankfully, they only removed 1200 of them. For a river the size of the Colorado, that is basically nothing.
They are also removing trout below Glen Canyon dam. They want to build a fish ladder on my stretch of the Colorado River to open up more water to the crapfish. Then they might even think of trying to destroy that fabulous trout fishery, one that hasn't been hit that hard by whirling disease unlike many others. All for fish no one wants.
The yampa river smallmouth may be next, unless the public acts. To destroy and slaughter the fishery is an abomination before the consitution.
The thing that is most horrific about this is the public opposition. More than 98% of the public is against this ghastly removal. Virtually none support any efforts to recover the endangered fish. We know that it's fruitless, and that they won't recover unless they take down the dams, which if they did would wipe us off the map.
There is no law that requires them to destroy our fisheries. They have spent $650 million dollars trying to save these fish that we don't want.
It is time we remind them what country this is, AMERICA. They are required to listen and obey the public. They have failed to do so. There has been no vote, and the only process is when they meet in little "committees" that are comprised soley of environmental wackoes, anti fishing groups, and other special interest organizations.
I have a petition currently circulating. Nearly all people want to sign it. I am also preparing court battles, and lobbying congress. We in Colorado and Utah beg for all the support we can get. If you read this post and think that this is an atrocity against us as well, please don't just read it and leave, please reply. If anyone wants to help, email me at
[email protected]. Since this is a federal project, any signature from anywhere in the country is valid.
Just to put the Endangered Species act in perspective, it has only recovered 4 species to date, and a total of 22 have been delisted. Fifteen of these were from extinction. The other three were species that weren't even endangered. The science they use is completely biased, and they forge it in order to recieve greater funding.
Tyler Peck
