Someone is dumping dead fish in a Rancho Cordova creek
RANCHO CORDOVA - There's a smelly situation in Rancho Cordova. Someone is dumping dead fish from the ocean into a creek -- and it happened more than once.
Kelli Silva was walking with her dog Monday near Morrison Creek when she caught the scent.
"You could definitely smell it," she said.
Then something seemed fishy.
"With a light breeze, you might smell these fish before you can actually see them," said Morrison. "They're at the bottom of this embankment.
About 20 pounds of ocean fish were dumped along the creek's edge, rotting in the hot summer sun.
"It looks like someone may have been fishing elsewhere and dumped them. What a waste. A huge waste," she said.
She called the dept of fish and wildlife.
"Somebody acquired these fish either commercially or recreationally and then disposed of them," said Capt. Patrick Foy with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. He says it's illegal dumping, which may escalate to a wanton waste case.
Foy explains what that means.
"Where it's just simply a person who catches a fish recreationally but doesn't make use of the fish itself to eat, he said. "You can't just go hunt an animal. You are required by law to make use of all the edible portions of the animal," Foy said.
Silva wants to see someone on the hook for heaving and leaving the fish.
"I'd like to see someone get caught doing that," said Silva.
Because she says it's happened several times this month.
"Just wish that didn't happen in our neighborhood," said.
The state cleaned up the fish. Dumping them is a misdemeanor because it could potentially pollute the creekbed.
