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HARRISBURG, Pa. (June 5) – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced today that it will host a public meeting on Thursday, June 22, in Northern Cambria, Cambria County, to discuss a proposal to place the upper reaches of the West Branch Susquehanna River under Catch and Release All-Tackle regulations.
The meeting will be held from 6:30 – 8 p.m. in the Northern Cambria Middle School auditorium, 601 Joseph Street, Northern Cambria, PA 15714. The public is invited to attend.
“The proposal will help protect the wild trout populations as the river continues to recover from acid mine drainage (AMD),” said Jason Detar, Chief of the Division of Fisheries Management. “We think this is a special opportunity to protect, improve, and highlight the developing wild trout fishery in a region where many waterways have not supported fisheries for over a century due to pollution.”
The focus area of the upper West Branch is approximately 26.6 miles from the AMD treatment plant in Bakerton to the confluence with Cush Creek.
Sampling by PFBC biologists showed that 185 miles of streams and their tributaries supported wild trout prior to 2010.
However, between 2010-15, sampling has shown that 401 miles of streams and their tributaries now support wild trout – an increase of 216 miles. In addition, a 27.8-mile section of the West Branch mainstem supports wild trout.
The upper West Branch is currently managed under Commonwealth inland regulations.
The proposal was first presented to the Board of Commissioners at the April quarterly business meeting.
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