(KCPW News) A legislative audit of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources presented to lawmakers today found that over the last three years the state’s fish hatcheries overproduced eggs needed in Utah waters by about 50 percent. According to the audit, the excess eggs were either destroyed or simply given to non-state hatcheries, which cost nearly $1.3 million. DWR Director Jim Karpowitz says in recent years overproduction of eggs was necessary to deal with disease.
“Now we recognize that in some years we have way overproduced eggs and we’re going to try and keep that overproduction at about the twenty percent level and that should compensate for any disease issues that may crop up in our hatchery system,” said Karpowitz.
The audit also found that in 2009 and 2010 the DWR’s hatcheries produced 135,000 pounds of fish over quota at a cost of $530,000, and recommends better planning during difficult budgetary times. Karpowitz told lawmakers the division accepts and is already working to implement all of the audit’s recommendations.
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