| The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has placed a temporary ban on the transportation of live fish from Lake Erie and its tributary waters inland.
PFBC Executive Director Doug Austen signed an order this morning making it unlawful to transport or cause the transport of live fish out of the Pennsylvania portion of the Lake Erie watershed. Waters included in the Pennsylvania portion of the Lake Erie watershed are Twentymile Creek, Orchard Beach Run, Sixteenmile Creek, Twelvemile Creek, Eightmile Creek, Sevenmile Creek, Sixmile Creek, Fourmile Creek, Mill Creek, Cascade Creek, Walnut Creek, Trout Run, Godfrey Run, Elk Creek, Crooked Creek, Raccoon Creek, Turkey Creek, Conneaut Creek, Ashtabula Creek and their tributaries.
The Executive Director has found that this action is necessary and appropriate for the protection, preservation and management of fish. The intent of the ban is to help reduce the potential spread of exotic fish species and fish diseases found in the Great Lakes to the state’s inland waters.
The temporary ban goes into effect immediately and will remain in place until January 1, 2008. The Commission, under a separate notice of proposed rulemaking, will seek public comments on a permanent change to the Commission’s fishing regulations. A vote on adopting a permanent regulation is expected later this year. |
