SALT LAKE CITY — Making a splash to enhance fishing experiences and bolster native fish populations, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources went all-in by releasing an impressive 10,634,431 fish across 604 waterbodies throughout the state in 2023. This significant effort, totaling a whopping 1,171,098 pounds of finned inhabitants, represents a considerable increase from the 8.2 million fish stocked in the preceding year.

Over the last few years, the DWR has fine-tuned its stocking strategies, opting for quality over quantity by introducing larger fish in specific locations to improve their survival rates. Simultaneously, they have increased stocking of smaller fish in areas with higher growth rates. Proactive measures have also been implemented to address drought concerns, with considerations such as stocking fewer fish in waterbodies with low water levels and altering the timing of fish species stocking to mitigate the impacts of warmer water.

This longstanding practice of fish stocking in Utah dates back over 150 years, initiated formally in 1871 when fish were transported by train from other states and released into lakes along the railway route. By 1897, Utah established its first hatcheries, marking the beginning of locally raised trout.

Craig Schaugaard, assistant chief of DWR’s Aquatic Section, elaborated on the historical evolution, stating, “These original hatcheries were really impounded streams where we put fry that we got from the federal government. We opened our first traditional fish hatchery — where we produced our own eggs and used raceways like we have today — in Murray in 1899.”

With time, the DWR’s hatchery operations expanded, now boasting 13 facilities across Utah. The recent upgrades to the Mantua Fish Hatchery and plans for a new Loa Fish Hatchery underscore the commitment to sustaining this essential initiative.

The majority of the fish stocked in 2023 — a substantial 1,063,571 pounds out of the total — originated from DWR hatcheries, while the remainder were sourced from disease-free certified hatcheries across the U.S.

“Our hatcheries are important because they provide the majority of the fish we stock in the state,” emphasized Schaugaard. “Stocking is a crucial management tool that we use to provide Utahns with the numbers and species of fish they desire. Stocking fish helps ensure that the public has a great fishing experience. It also helps in the recovery of threatened or endangered fish. June suckers were downlisted from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2021 because of recovery efforts, which included stocking.”

A diverse array of fish species, including Arctic grayling, crappie, bluegill, cutthroat trout, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and walleye, were introduced into Utah waters in 2023. Some of these, like the Bonytail chub and June sucker, play pivotal roles in conservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act.

The DWR’s fish hatcheries produce various strains of certain species, and a portion of the fish released is sterile, strategically employed to control populations in different waterbodies.

For more comprehensive insights into the DWR’s stocking strategies and the diverse array of fish added to Utah’s waters, visit the DWR website.

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