HARRISBURG, Pa. (July 12) – At its quarterly business meeting held yesterday and today, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) elected new officers, approved the acquisition of property in Erie County, approved changes to fishing regulations at a popular Centre County lake, and approved a final rulemaking to add and remove several species from the Threatened, Endangered and Candidate lists.
In addition, PFBC Executive Director John Arway provided the public with an update on the S.O.S. – Save Our Susquehanna! Campaign. Through mid-July, concerned citizens have raised more than $50,000 for the campaign, which is entering its second year.
“The ‘Save Our Susquehanna’ message continues to resonate with anglers, sportsmen’s clubs, conservationists and with others who care about the river,” said Arway. “We’ve exceeded our goal of $50,000 and with the Commission’s $50,000 match, we now have $100,000 to start working on the first water and soil conservation project along the river.”
Arway announced that the first project will be in Limestone Run, a tributary to the Susquehanna River that runs through Montour and Northumberland counties. PFBC habitat staff will work with a local farmer to stabilize the stream banks to prevent erosion and reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients that enter the creek and ultimately the Susquehanna River.
He also noted that the new 2016 S.O.S. button is now available for $10 from the Outdoor Shop online and at all fishing license issuing agents. The funds from button sales and donations to the S.O.S campaign will continue to be used to improve the water quality of the Susquehanna River, which is important for the long-term health of the smallmouth bass fishery.
At the start of today’s formal meeting, the Board elected Commissioner Glade Squires as the new president and Commissioner Rocco Ali as vice-president. President Squires resides in Downingtown, Chester County, and represents the PFBC’s Eighth District, which includes Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Schuylkill counties.
Vice President Ali resides in North Apollo, Armstrong County, and represents the PFBC’s Second District, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
In other Commission action today, the Board:
- Approved the acquisition of 1,160 linear feet on Elk Creek as it flows across a parcel of property in Girard Borough, Erie County, for $20,000. The easement area is located off Elk Creek Road across the stream from the Girard Borough Park property. Elk Creek is a popular steelhead and trout fishery and the acquisition of the easement will provide additional trout and steelhead fishing opportunities.
- Approved a 25-year lease agreement with Freeport Borough, Armstrong County, for the Freeport Access site. The site is located on Buffalo Creek but provides access to the Allegheny River, which is approximately 500 feet downstream. The borough has taken care of the routine maintenance, operation and surveillance of the site since December 1991 under a maintenance agreement set to expire in December.
- Gave final approval to a proposal to change angling regulations for crappie at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake at Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County. Currently, anglers can keep a daily limit of 20, but all the fish must be at least 9 inches long. Under the new rules, anglers can keep a daily creel limit of 10, of which no more than five can be equal or greater than 9 inches.
“The changes will allow anglers to still harvest some of the larger fish which are 9 inches or longer, as well as some of the smaller fish which are not currently available to harvest,” said Jason Detar, Chief of the Division of Fisheries Management. “The goal is to increase the overall numbers of 9-inch and longer crappies by reducing some of the harvest of these fish, and by thinning the numbers of 7-inch and 8-inch fish through angler harvest.”
The amendment will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017.
- In Butler County, proposed a regulatory amendment which places catch and release regulations on Glade Run Lake for all fish except trout. Provided the rebuilt lake has refilled with a sufficient amount of water, the PFBC will begin reestablishing warm and coolwater fisheries this fall with the placement of forage fish. Gamefish and panfish fingerlings will be stocked beginning in 2017. This process will continue for several years. Adult catchable trout will be stocked beginning in spring of 2017. The change will take effect after it is approved on a final rulemaking order and published in the PA Bulletin.
- Added 99 waters to the list of wild trout streams and adjusted the section limits of six waters. The list can be found on the PFBCwebsite.
- Added three stream sections to the list of Class A wild trout streams. The list can be found on the PFBC website.
- Approved a final rulemaking order which adds the Hornyhead Chub to the Endangered Species list; removes the Mountain Brook Lamprey from the Threatened Species list; and removes the Ohio Lamprey, Bowfin and Timber Rattlesnake from the Candidate Species list.
“The delisting of the Timber Rattlesnake demonstrates how protective measures and regulations can be successfully implemented to conserve a species and improve a population,” said Executive Director Arway. “The Commission first listed it as a candidate species in 1978 over reported population declines from overhunting and habitat loss. As part of a 12-year statewide assessment project, we have assessed more than 1,700 sites, of which 71% were occupied. The Timber Rattlesnake is now found in 51 of 67 counties. Current data indicates that the rattlesnake retains an extensive distribution across the Commonwealth, with large populations remaining in many areas, which justifies removing it from the Candidate list.”
“Today’s decision by our Board to remove the Timber Rattlesnake from the Candidate Species list should be viewed as a success story for the conservation and management of a once vulnerable species of rattlesnake,” he added. “However, we must continue our efforts and not let down our guard to insure that the Timber Rattlesnake continues to be secure across its entire range.”
The PFBC also is working with East Stroudsburg University to develop a long-term population monitoring program to track changes and further the understanding of the conservation status of the Timber Rattlesnake. - Approved a grant of $121,050 from the Sinnemahoning Creek Watershed Restoration Program to the Cameron County Conservation District to create a passive water treatment system to remediate acid mine discharge from an abandoned coal mine to Finley Run, a major tributary to Sterling Run. The project is expected to extend the existing range of naturally reproducing trout at least an additional 1.1 miles downstream from the unpolluted headwaters.
“When combined with several other acid mine drainage remediation projects, these efforts are a major step in restoring water quality and aquatic life to the historic wild trout fisheries within Finley Run, May Hollow Run, Portable Run and Sterling Run,” said Executive Director Arway.
The funding is available through a 2007 settlement agreement with Norfolk Southern as restitution for environmental damages from a June 30, 2006, train derailment in rural Norwich Township, McKean County. Under the settlement, Norfolk Southern agreed to pay the Commonwealth $7.35 million as restitution for environmental damages. The PFBC received $3.675 million of the settlement.
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