A Watershed Approach to Fisheries Management

In 2009 the Arizona Game and Fish Department developed a framework and decision making process by which the Department can make watershed based fisheries management decisions that balance the dual mandates for sport fish opportunities and native fish conservation. In 2013, a team of individuals from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and US Forest Service was established to apply the Watershed-based Fish Management Process to the Verde River watershed.  This presentation will provide an overview of the decision making process, how the process has been applied to the Verde River watershed, and demonstrate functions of a web-based management decision tool that has been produced from this effort.