Wildlife authorities in Utah are sending a clear message to the public about the importance of not releasing certain fish into the state’s bodies of water. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) recently issued an announcement titled “Don’t Ditch a Fish” to emphasize the negative impacts of illegal fish introductions.
So far in 2023, UDWR biologists have discovered four species of sportfish that have been unlawfully introduced into public waters across the state. These include green sunfish at Yearns Reservoir in Sanpete County, smallmouth bass at Settlement Canyon Reservoir in Tooele County, redside shiners at Paragonah Reservoir in Iron County, and largemouth bass at Newcastle Reservoir, also in Iron County.
Illegal fish introductions not only harm aquatic ecosystems but also threaten native fish species. Randy Oplinger, the sportfish coordinator at UDWR, emphasized that such introductions rarely improve fisheries and are actually detrimental to the environment. Furthermore, this activity is illegal and can result in a class A misdemeanor.
Illegally transplanted fish pose risks to other sportfish, non-recreational fish, and endangered species, as they can prey on and outcompete them. In addition, disease can be introduced, and water quality can be adversely affected by illegal fish introductions.
UDWR strongly urges Utah anglers not to transfer fish from one waterbody to another in an attempt to improve fisheries. Restoring waterbodies after illegal fish introductions is a costly and time-consuming process that often requires killing all fish through rotenone treatments.
To protect native fish species and maintain quality fishing in Utah, the public is asked to never release or act as a “bucket biologist” by dumping fish. Any sightings of illegal fish introductions or invasive fish species can be reported to UDWR at 1-800-662-3337, and unwanted sportfish and pet fish can be surrendered to a UDWR office.
For further information on the legal and environmental consequences of fish transplanting, the “Don’t Ditch a Fish” web page on the wildlife.utah.gov website provides additional details.
By Cortney Moore, associate lifestyle writer on the Lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
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