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SALT LAKE CITY — State wildlife officials said Tuesday that two people were cited after they came forward and told conservation officers they were responsible for illegally dumping 260 white bass onto a road near Syracuse last month.
Officials for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources declined to name the two individuals. One of the individuals was a juvenile and both were cited for allowing wildlife to waste or spoil, according to DWR spokesperson Faith Heaton Jolley.
"The anglers will have the opportunity to plead their case to a judge. The anglers were under the impression that because there’s no limit on white bass, they were okay to dispose of the fish," the state agency posted on Facebook.
On May 28, state conservation officers asked for the public’s help as they gathered information regarding 260 white bass that were dumped on West Gentile Street in Davis County that was discovered on May 18. State conservation officer Trevor Doman told KSL.com that about half of the fish were gutted and there were signs someone had attempted to field dress them.
"We see wasting of protected wildlife every now and then, but nothing to this magnitude," Doman said about the case last month.
The state restitution fine for illegally dumping a nontrophy fish like white bass is $10 per fish. Utah's fishing guidebook states anglers are not allowed to waste fish or crayfish in most cases. It’s also written in the state’s law code.
