Demographers estimate Utah’s population will nearly double between 2020 and 2050, a calculation that has the state asking: How will population growth affect fish production?
The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources said in a statement that in light of significant growth in fish production, increased water demand and ongoing drought, the agency developed a 30-year plan for fish production and stocking in the state’s waters. Press release.
“This new program helps us proactively envision the future of fish production in Utah by organizing how and where fish can be raised, where a number of different species can be raised, and where native fish can be raised to help restore those species,” Roger Mellenthin, fish farming coordinator for the Department of Wildlife Resources, said in the release.
Melensing added that the program could increase the agency’s capabilities and efficiency and expand fishing opportunities alongside native species conservation efforts.
The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources will stock the fish in October 2024. (Courtesy Utah Department of Wildlife Resources)
The department said Utah’s population growth could lead to an increase in anglers. However, current fish production capacity is not expected to continue to increase due to the limited number of hatcheries and available water resources.
The department is rebuilding its Loa Fish HatcheryWhen completed in 2027, the project will join 12 other state-owned hatcheries and reduce the density of other facilities, allowing the state to reduce the spread of disease among fish.
However, other efforts may be underway as part of the department’s long-term plans.
These changes include reducing the number of fish stocked in water bodies with higher catch-and-release rates. In addition, the department is considering increasing native fish production by raising and stocking more green suckers, northern leatherside chub, roundtail chub and rollfins, as well as western toads, to ensure the species remains common in Utah.
In addition, because temperatures in the state’s waters are rising, the state will shift from traditionally stocking cold-water species such as trout in some low- and mid-elevation water bodies to stocking fish that can tolerate higher temperatures, a change that will also be reflected in hatcheries.
“We are increasing our efforts to better understand the fishing experience on many of Utah’s waters, and over the next few years we are likely to receive more requests from anglers to provide feedback on their fishing experiences, especially after some stocking changes are implemented,” said Trina Hedrick, the department’s sport fish coordinator.
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