Pond owners must comply with regulations before stocking fish on Western Slope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW

GUNNISON, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife would like to remind pond owners that all fish stocking in Western Colorado must comply with state regulations which requires a valid stocking permit or license from CPW. The only exception is for licensed aquaculture facilities stocking salmonids.

To protect sport fisheries and native fishes of Western Colorado, it is the landowner’s responsibility to meet all state regulations prior to stocking. 

Stocking Western Slope waters with any fish species may be restricted according to  regulations concerned with the preservation of native and endangered fishes in the upper Colorado River basin. The upper Colorado River basin includes the Dolores, Green, Yampa, White, Colorado and Gunnison sub-basins.

These restrictions may require the construction of a berm and/or installation of an inlet/outlet screen. Additionally, the stocking of triploid grass carp in the Rio Grande and San Juan river basins requires installation of an inlet/outlet screen prior to stocking.

“It is important that pond owners help CPW protect our sport fisheries and native fish by complying with fish stocking regulations on the Western Slope,” said CPW senior aquatic biologist John Alves.

The West Slope Fish Stocking Application is available online at www.cpwshop.com under the “Special License Application” catalog. There is no cost for submitting the application.

For more information on special applications, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/SWL-Applications.aspx.

For questions, contact Kendall Bakich at 970-947-2924.