DWR reminding public 'don't ditch a fish' after discovering fish illegally introduced into Lloyds Lake

Salt Lake City — After discovering an illegal fish introduction this year, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is again reminding Utahns that it's both harmful and illegal to move sportfish you've caught from one waterbody to another, to dump unwanted pet fish into local ponds, or to use live bait fish.

Each spring and fall, DWR biologists survey various lakes and streams to assess the status of sportfish and native fish populations in Utah. During surveys this year, biologists discovered that smallmouth bass were illegally released into Lloyds Lake in the Colorado River drainage. Both the transport of live fish away from where they were initially caught and the subsequent release of those fish into a new location are illegal.

"Due to several endangered fish in the Colorado River, we partner with other agencies to ensure that our sportfish stocking does not interfere with the recovery of native fish," DWR Sportfish Coordinator Trina Hedrick said. "The stocking of sportfish in any drainages in the Colorado River Basin is therefore highly regulated. If we were going to consider the stocking of smallmouth bass, it would get a thorough review and escapement evaluation, and it is highly unlikely that we would stock the species here. This illegal introduction is very problematic."

When a fish is illegally introduced into a pond, stream or lake, it can have several negative effects on that fishery, including:

• Illegal fish species can prey on or outcompete other fish species, including sportfish, native fish and endangered fish species.
• The new fish can introduce disease because they weren't properly tested before being dumped into that waterbody.
• Depending on the species, the new fish can negatively impact water quality.

"Illegal fish introductions seldom improve fisheries — instead, illegal introductions typically ruin fisheries and threaten the species that live there," Hedrick said. "It is also illegal in Utah to transport live fish or to introduce them into a new location and can result in a class A misdemeanor."

While it's illegal to dump unwanted aquarium fish into a waterbody, it's also illegal to move live fish from one waterbody to another or to take them home. Anglers often think that when they move fish from one waterbody to another that they are introducing a species that will help improve the fishing at a pond, stream or lake. This is seldom true, and instead, these illegal introductions often ruin a fishery for other anglers that fish there.

"Before we stock fish into a waterbody, we conduct extensive risk assessments to native species, perform disease testing, evaluate the compatibility of the new species with existing sportfish and assess angler preferences for that fishery," Hedrick said. "It is very expensive and takes a very long time — often requiring rotenone treatments that kill all the fish — to restore these waterbodies after fish have been illegally introduced. Please help our native fish species and maintain quality fishing in Utah by never dumping a fish or being a 'bucket biologist.'"

Utahns are encouraged to call 800-662-3337 to report any invasive fish they find, or if they see anyone illegally introducing fish into a waterbody or trying to relocate live fish. Utahns can also contact their nearest DWR office if they have an unwanted fish or if they have concerns about a fishery in Utah.

Learn more about the negative consequences of illegal fish introductions by visiting the "Don't Ditch a Fish" page on the DWR website.