SALT LAKE CITY — Biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources discovered hundreds of goldfish illegally dumped in a local pond, causing officials to warn residents about dumping fish in the state's waterways.
The dumped goldfish were found on Aug. 29 in the Mail Draw Wildlife Management Area, which is used provide water for wildlife in the area and is not a fishing pond.
During another survey this year, biologists found an oscar fish, which is native to South America, in Millrace Park Pond in Taylorsville. Other exotic fish were discovered in several community ponds in the Salt Lake Valley.
The DWR says dumping fish into ponds, streams or lakes can have several negative effects, including introducing disease and fish that can prey on other species.
“Illegal fish introductions seldom improve fisheries — instead, illegal introductions typically ruin fisheries and threaten the species that live there,” said DWR Sportfish Coordinator Randy Oplinger.
Dumping fish is a class A misdemeanor in Utah.
Oplinger says that removing illegal fish in a body of water often requires killing all the fish.
“Please help our native fish species and maintain quality fishing in Utah by never dumping a fish.”
