The California Department of Fish and Wildlife posted about the incident on Facebook, which took place in November. Anglers at the Clifton Forebay contacted authorities after they witnessed a man catching a green sturgeon and not releasing it.

Green sturgeons have been classified as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act and it is not permitted to catch and retain.

The suspect was spotted loading the fish into their car, and the witnesses were able to provide authorities with the license plate number.