Trout Summit 2002

Transcriptions of Chart Paper Notes from Breakout Groups

 

Parking Lot – Group ?Trout Summit Logo

 

  1. No point/AG Programs – (List of them)
  2. Discuss opportunity for young anglers to catch, kill and eat fish.•
  3. Does removing stocking HURT access?
  4. Does removing rural streams hurt licenses sales – Big local economic impact
  5. What are they willing to pay! • • • • •

 

 

Fish Bowl – Group ?

 

  • Lower quality streams in certain areas
  • Adjust delayed harvest to allow earlier harvest and reduced numbers
  • Promote other fish to take focus away from trout
  • Cooperate with clubs/coops on stocking to disperse fish
  • ↓ PFBC costs
    • Clubs pick-up and distribute
  • Delayed harvest stocking may be inappropriate because of impacts to wild trout population.

 

 

 

  

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Wild Trout Questions – Group 1/Allegheny

 

Comments to Question 2

·        Resource first •

·        Clearing house

·        Grant writing assistance

·        More focus on buffers and fencing

 

 

 Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Stocked Trout Questions – Group 1/Allegheny

 

Question # 1

What factors should the commission consider in determine how many adult trout should be stocked each year?

Comments to Question 1

    • How many can be legally produced – starting point
    • How many stamps are sold - # stamps = interest •
    • How many can we afford to raise • • • • • • • • •
    • How much water area is available •
    • How large do we want the fish •
    • Stocked for take vs. stock for put-grow-take • •
    • How many are to be used for restoration of streams (use of fingerlings) • •
    • Impacts on other species by stocking • • • • •
    • Continue using current assessments in evaluating waters • • • • • • •
    • Habitat • • • • • • • •

                                                               i.      Water temps

                                                             ii.      Flow volume

    • Size
    • Water Quality •
    • Fishing pressure setting • • • • • • • • • •
    • Quantity •
    • Accessibility • • •

                                                               i.      Public/private

                                                             ii.      Proximity to stream

    • Reproduction • •
    • Aquatic Macros
    • Quality
    • Any stream that provides quality experience •
    • Fewer fish/larger • • • • • 
    • Diversity in same stream •
    • One size not fit all •
    • Fishing pressure tackle restrictions hooking mortality
    • Special Regs

                                                               i.      Brings anglers, Quality ↓

                                                             ii.      More diverse view

                                                            iii.      Legal size/mile means little to anglers

 

Question #6

What are the most important objectives that fisheries managers should consider in adjusting management for stocked trout fisheries?

 Comments to Question 6

 

  • Reduce Harvest •
  • Stocking changes • • • • • • •
    • Remove stocking on wild waters
    • Reduce pressure
    • Cropping
  • Continue stocking on wild for diversity • • • • • •
  • Better look at individual streams  when managing • • • •
  • Consider type of anglers that will fish certain waters when proposing different regs.
  • Cannot treat all waters the same •
    • Different habitat and fish
    • Habitat has changed • •
  • Survey more streams
  • Watershed approach
  • Local input on management of streams • • •
  • Slot harvest for size diversity •
  • Stream categories too limited → relook new approach
  • More use of special regs – plenty opps. Exist to do this • • • •
  • Habitat improvements • • •
    • Not directly involve
    • But better coordinate

 

 

 Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Water Quality & Habitat Improvement Questions-Group 1/Allegheny

 

Question #1

You’ve heard a briefing on the Commission’s habitat improvement efforts.  What are your ideas about the most important elements of a successful habitat improvement program?

Comments to Question 1

  • No Further Harm • • •
  • PFBC limited • • • • • • • •
    • More advisory role
    • Encourage
    • More proactive
    • More technical in put
  • More watershed approach • • • • • • •
  • Seek/provide in put of/to locals – they get growing greener •
  • PFBC needs to be more proactive w/groups • •
  • Avoid “overkill”
    • Make functional – Priority
  • List of grants opps
    • Dirt gravel, fencing, etc.

 

Question #4

Although PA has millions of acres of public land, the fact is that over 75% of the Commonwealth’s trout waters (both stocked and wild) are on private lands.  What can be done to encourage private/public partnerships to insure that these lands and waters remain protected and open for public fishing for generations yet to come?

Comments to Question 4

  • Personal PFBC contact with land owners • • • • • • •
  • Proactive – PFBC brokers land owner with other groups (for clean-up/Mgmt) • • •
    • Cons clubs
    • Clean up groups
  • Parking issues
    • PFBC provides
  • PFBC supports program for (clean-up/Mgmt)
  • Survey to anglers on if they support access program
  • Focus on big land owners, companies, associations
  • Communicate better with land owner as to what land owner wants •
  • Incentives
    • Stream projects
    • More trout
    • Taxes
  • Education with landowner
  • Easement program • • • • •
    • Funding through habitat stamp
    • Local clubs participate
    • Re-think how PFBC allocates

 

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Wild Trout Questions – Group 2/Delaware

 

Question #1

What are the most important elements of a desirable wild trout fishery?

Comments to Question 1

·        Location •

·        Solitude

·        Number of larger trout (species specific) • • • • •

·        Health of watershed •

·        Habitat (physical) • • • • • • •

·        Trout species composition – brook trout •

 

Question #2

What fisheries management efforts do you believe are most important in improving wild trout populations?

Comments to Question 2

·        Habitat improvement • ••  •

·        Watershed restoration and protection • • • •

·        Limiting harvest •

·        Don’t stock class A streams and enforce • •

·        Don’t stock Class B streams that could be Class A waters as determined by fisheries management • •

·        More frequent surveys of wild trout •

 

Question #4

What are your ideas on the role of harvest as part of a wild trout fishery?

Comments to Question 4

·        Very Limited

·        Reduced creel limit • • • • • •

·        Harvest is ok, keep current creel limit • • • •

·        Maintain harvest to maintain interest

·        Creel limit of 2

·        Stream specific harvest regs

·        Slot limit to protect spawning fish  • • •

·        Manage brook and brown differently • •

Question #5

What are your opinions on supplementing the wild trout fisheries on particular waters by stocking?

      Comments to Question 5

·        Stock hatchery trout in wild trout streams to maintain your anglers interest • • •t

·        Stock additional fish in places that would not hurt wild trout, manage brook and brown differently • • • • • • • • • •

·        Don’t stock trout in high quality trout streams • •

·        Supplement Class B streams with hatchery fish

·        More public education to support proper management •

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Stocked Trout Questions – Group 2/Delaware

Question #4

What advantages and disadvantages would there be in considering two opening days, one earlier that the present, that would accommodate the seasonal difference throughout the state?

Comments to Question 4

·        Delaying stocking due to inclement weather • • •

·        Potential loss of economics benefit to destination areas

·        Why need an opening day? • • • • •

·        Tightened time frames can lead to less even distribution of fish

·        More crowded streams on both opening days • • • • • • • •

§         Disadvantage – more pressure on privately owned lands could lead to loss of streams • • • • • • • • • •

§         Advantage – extended fishing opportunities • •

§         Could attract anglers who might otherwise miss opening day • • • • •

§         People would travel from region to region, leading to crowded conditions •

§         No closed season • •

§         Problems with stocking logistics

§         Take advantage of good weather leading to more fishing opportunities

§         Boundary problems •

§         Earlier opening date statewide • • • • • • •

Question #2

Assuming the Commission has a fixed (and relatively stable) amount of money to devote to stocked trout programs and major infrastructure needs, what are your ideas on the bet way to allocate and spend this money?

Comments to Question 2

·        Commission should fix effluent issues (9) hatcheries • • • • • • • • •

·        Put more emphasis on infrastructure and less on stocking fish, short term •

·        Explore new hatcheries on tail waters and mine discharges, and curtail limestone stream hatchery production • • •

 

Question #7

What factors should the Commission use in deciding where to stock trout?

Comments to Question 7

·        Stock where the public wants to fish • • • • • • •

·        Stock where there are no trout •

·        Eliminate double stocking by co-ops

·        Access

·        Stream size, water quality and habitat

·        Ownership •

·        Stock where there is no viable wild trout fishery

·        Viable = ability to catch a limit of trout consistently

·        Stock where there is no adverse impact on wild trout pops. • • •

Stock non naturally reproducing or fin clip fish to determine the potential for a wild trout fishery and reduce harvest on target trout species. • •

Question #5

Delayed harvest regulations are one of the tools used by the Commission to manage stocked trout fisheries.  What factors should be considered in determine when and how to use delayed harvest management on particular waters.

Comments to Question 5

·        Brings additional anglers into the pop.

·        Loss of anglers opportunities to the general public • • •

·        All tackle delayed harvest • • • • • • •

·        Lack of use in open waters due to perception

·        Loss of fish due to mortality

 

  

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Water Quality & Habitat Improvement Questions-Group 2/Delaware

Question #4

What can be done to encourage private/public partnerships to insure that these lands and waters remain protected and open for public fishing for generations yet to come?

Comments to Question 4

·        Purchase easements • • • •

·        Combat littering •

·        Have regs that landowner wants

·        Encourage adoption of streams • •

·        Additional regulations to protect landowners • •

·        PFBC provide to landowners (signs, etc.) personal contact •

·        PFBC educate anglers on conduct for fishing on private land (getting permission, picking up litter, ask landowner for any chores the angle can do)

·        encourage local gov’ts to incorporate public use requirements into zoning rules/ordinance

·        25 fishing

·        50 Conservation

§         if land was subdivided or solo for development

Question #1

What are your ideas about the most important elements of a successful habitat improvement program?

Comments to Question 1

·        Partnership with private and public • • •

·        Fencing and grazing areas •

·        Resource first for fish

·        Increases trout biomass • • • • •

·        Riparian corridor maintenance and preservation •

Question #2

What do you see as the Commission’s role in habitat improvement implementation?

Comments to Question 2

·        Check with organizations and groups for projects  • •

·        Technical assistance • • • • • •

·        Get info out to public such as press releases • •

·        Easement purchase and buying land • • • •

·        Mow less •

·        Continue our adopt a stream program

·        PFBC have greater involvement of habitat projects

Question # 5

What are your ideas about how these programs, which benefit all Pennsylvanians, should be funded in the future?

Comments to Question 5

·        PFBC raise the money – bonds out of general fund

·        Permit fees reflect cost payable to PFBC

·        Growing greener or tipping fee monies • • • •

·        Portion of an increased cost of trout stamp to habitat improvement ••

·        Portion of state sales tax • • •  • •

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Stocked Trout Questions – Group 3/Erie

Question #5

Delayed Harvest Regulations are one of the tools used by the Commission to manage stocked trout fisheries.  What factors should be considered in determining when and how to use delayed harvest management on particular waters?

Comments to Question 5

·        Fall stocking – use for as long of a period as possible.

·        Allow larger streams to be considered

·        Add more streams to the program •

·        Adjust stocking rate based on use • • • • • • • •

·        Allow less restrictive tackle to kids

 

Question #3

What actions should the Commission take to better promote the stocked trout fishery?

Comments to Question 3

·        Stock large streams

·        Take the pressure off the small streams

·        Put out county maps promoting this info. •

·        Urban trout stocking program •

·        Urban trout stocking •

·        Survey anglers about FL increase

·        Increase educational efforts to costs of programs •

·        Spread fish during in season stockings • •

·        Identify the goal of stocked trout fishery • • • • •

·        Announce more in season stockings

·        Close streams after in season stockings

·        Promote program in schools •

Question #1

What factors should the Commission consider in determining how many adult trout should be stocked each year?

Comments to Question 1

·        Costs

·        Use marginal streams away from smaller streams/wild streams • • • •

·        Look at habitat to get #’s stocked

·        Larger Fish – Fewer fish • • • • • •

·        Grade fish for stocking based on habitat

·        Use performance data to determine stocking # • • • • •

·        Put the stocked fish where anglers go • •

·        Consider angler mobility

·        Anglers will adjust

·        Match angler success rate to stocking #’s

 

 

Question #6

What are the most important objectives that fisheries managers should consider in adjusting management for stocked trout fisheries? 

Comments to Question 6

·        Impact on wild trout • • • • • • • • • • • •

·        Angler use can be controlled •

·        Impact on the environment •

·        Use angler use/angler trips data instead  •

·        More Saturday stockings • •

·        Junior license at nominal cost

·        Junior trout stamp • •

 

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Wild Trout Questions – Group 3/Erie

 

Question #5

What are your opinions on supplementing the wild trout fisheries on particular waters by stocking?

Comments to Question 5

·        No stocking of Class A waters  • • • • • • • •

·        Consider stocking waters that are not high quality wild trout based on research

·        Do not jeopardize any sustainable wild population • • • • • • • • • • • •

·        No stocking any “wild trout fishery”

·        Manage stream based on carrying capacity

·        Habitat improvement • • • • • • •

·        Determine limiting factors before supplementing/stocking •

·        Re-establish wild trout populations by stocking, due to drought loss, etc.•

·        Supplement all wild trout fisheries by stocking • •

·        Consider fingerling stockings based on research

  Question #1

  What are the most important elements of a desirable wild trout fishery?

  Comments to Question 1

·        Sustainable fishery • • • • • • •

·        Quality of the experience

·        Size and Number • •

·        Catch rat 2/3 per hour (legal size)

·        #3 with habitat considerations • • • • • •

·        The challenge of the fishery

·        Surroundings and aesthetics • •

·        Species found in the fishery

·        Do not consider the #of legal size trout per mile of stream

·        Need to know adult fish per mile and biomass

 

Question #2

What fisheries management efforts do you believe are most important in improving wild trout populations?

Comments to Question 2

·        Conduct a through assessment on each water and come up with a management plan • • • • • • • • •

·        Ban or limit harvest • • •

·        Special regs. On all Class A & B • •

·        Increased enforcement  issues •

·        Shift funds to wild trout management

·        Educational improvement regarding wild trout management

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Water Quality & Habitat Improvement Questions-Group 3/Erie

Question #5

The Commission’s habitat improvements and environmental services programs are currently funded largely through the Fish Fund.  What are your idea about how these programs, which benefit all Pennsylvanians, should be funded in the future?

Comments to Question 5

·        State sub. To fund access

·        Tap into sales tax and other tax sources

·        Conservation stamp sales • • • • • • • •

·        Motor vehicle license plates

·        Partnering with various conservation organizations • • • •

·        Dedicate matching grants to adopt-a-stream projects.

·        Promote adopt-a-stream program

 

Question #1

You’ve heard a briefing on the commission’s habitat improvement efforts.  What are your ideas about the most important elements of a successful habitat improvement program?

Comments to Question 1

·        More money – more access

·        Increase staff in existing programs (habitat improvement program) • • • • • • • • • •

·        Pro-active habitat work • • • • • •

·        Partnering with conservation organizations • • • • •

·        Determine limiting factors – be more pro-active

·        Better reporting of accomplishments •

 

Question #2

What do you see as the Commission’s role in habitat improvement programs?

Comments to Question 2

·        Provide leadership to prioritize projects • • • • • • • •

·        Keep track of projects

Questions #3

You’ve heard a briefing about the subject of PCB’s and other chemicals in stocked and wild fish in Pennsylvania?  What are your ideas about how the state can best inform the angling public about these matters?

Comments to Question 3

·        Maintain summary book and news releases

·        Promote catch and release

·        Maintain perspective on health effects, risks

·        Better education

·        Must get word out that fish are safe • • • • • • • •

·        Provide comparison – other states

·        Give public info they can relate to • •

·        Drop advisory

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Wild Trout Questions – Group 4/Lunch

Question #3

When wild trout populations o a particular stream do not improve with management, what actions do you believe would be the most important or appropriate to address the situation?

Comments to Question 3

·        Saturday announced (lakes) – ok

·        Stream announce – not good idea

·        Private land holdings

§         Fish for free – 2 weeks into season • •

§         Youth only areas – high use areas

§         Advertise! •

·        Don’t Panic

·        Identify carrying capacity

·        Don’t’ rush to stock don’t rush to do • •

·        Some streams don’t support wild trout (catchable) allow continued stocking.

·        Further study stream

·        Begin to stock – is not a siz?

·        Do everything to bring to class “A” then stock

 

Question #4

What are your ideas on the role of harvest as part of a wild trout fishery?

Comments on Question 4

·        No harvest=improved stream

·        No limited harvest = improved stream

·        Segment streams harvest/no harvest

·        Harvest stock – release wild

·        Reduced creel for wild trout • • •

·        Harvest impacts some streams and not others – selective harvest

·        Identify how important harvest/fishing is to users

·        Management goals = strat. Maximize resource – am I making best use?• •

·        Harvest is fun

·        Big part of fishing

·        Why kill • •

·        No fits all regulations

·        Educate the public

·        K.i.s.s. regulations

·        Know and understand questions before trying to get answers

 

Question #5

What are your opinions on supplementing the wild trout fisheries on particular waters by stocking?

Comments to Question 5

·        Don’t use band-aid approach to supplement wild stocks

·        Find problem

·        Generally class “A” should not be stocked • • • • • • • •

·        Stocked fish hurts wild

·        Does “b” need stock?

·        Wild trout populations fluctuate

·        Difference philosophy dictate management

·        Children learn to fish on these streams be careful about remove stocking.

 

Question #1

What are the most important elements of a desirable wild trout fishery?

Comments to Question 1

·        Catch and release

·        Scenery/aesthesis

·        Treasure and Value

·        Condition and behavior of fish

·        Multip. Factors for stream selection

·        Aesthesis

·        Quality

·        Etc.,Etc.,

§         Abundance of Fish

§         High # of “big” fish • • • • • •

 

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Stocked Trout Questions – Group 4/Lunch

Question#3

What actions should the Commission take to better promote the stocked trout fishery?

Comments to Question 3

·        Sponsor youth event • •

·        Saturday stocking

·        Make fishing more appealing (angler success)

·        Contest – tagged fish

·        Expand delayed harvest • • • • • • • • • • • • •

 

Question #1

What factors should the Commission consider in determining how many adult trout should be stocked each year?

Comments to Question 1

·        Coops grow smaller fish •

·        PFBC should grow fewer larger fish

·        Caps established by others

·        More but smaller (8: adult is big enough)•

·        SIZE!

 

Question #6

What are the most important objectives that fisheries mangers should consider in adjusting management for stocked trout fisheries?

Comments to Question 6

·        Big Fish (size) • • • • • • •

·        Stock brook and rainbow early browns later

·        Species considerations

·        Spread fishing out over long time more anglers – delayed harvest • • • • • • • •

·        Creel return

 

Question #4

What advantages and disadvantages would there be in considering two opening days, one earlier than the present, that would accommodate the seasonal difference throughout the state?

Comments to Question 4

·        Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix it!!!! • • • •

·        Private land concerns •

·        Equipment purchases planned

·        Two chances for complaint

·        Slob fisherman

·        Help fish distribution from hatchery

·        First Saturday of April opener only

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Water Quality & Habitat Improvement Questions-Group 4/Lunch

Question #3

You’ve heard a briefing about the subject of PCB’s and other chemicals in stocked and wild fish in Pennsylvania?  What are your ideas about how the stare can best inform the angling public about these matters?

Comments to Question 3

·        Public Announcements

·        Radio/TV

·        Health Agency

·        Responsible News Release • •

·        Better define/issues/before release

·        Announce Proactively

·        Improve water quality

·        Don’t throw good money after bad

·        Time define population limits Strive for march 1st news release, timing of release

·        We know levels in fish we don’t’ know levels in other things

Question #4

Although PA has millions of acres of public land, the fact is that over 75% of the Commonwealth’s trout waters (both stocked and wild) are on private lands.  What can be done to encourage private/public partnerships to insure that there’s lands and waters remain protected and open for public fishing for generations yet to come?

Comments to Question 4

·        Contact with property owners

·        Offer to post signs

·        Clubs to offer clean up after opening day

·        Personal contact

·        Enroll owners in adopt-a –stream

·        Obtain/buy  fishing easements • • • • • • • •

·        Conservancies, rails to trails, greenways • • • • • • •

 

Question #5

The Commission’ habitat improvement and environmental services programs are currently funded largely through the fish fund.  What are your ideas about how these programs, which benefit all Pennsylvanians, should be funded in the future?

Comments to Question 5

·        Growing Green  Partnerships

·        Anglers shouldn’t have to bear total cost •

·        Conservation stamp • •

·        Earmark license to easements, purchase, develop and maintenance • • • • •

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Wild Trout Questions – Group 5/Potomac

Question #4

What are your ideas on the role of harvest as part of a wild trout fishery?

Comments to Questions 4

·        Watershed Approach

·        Use size as key tool

 

Question #5

What are your opinions on supplementing the wild trout fisheries on particular waters by stocking?

Comments to Question 5

·        Stocking good

·        Need to look at $$

·        Marginal wild trout don’t stock

·        Don’t stock class B or Higher •

·        Only in Urban area = B

·        No stocking class A stream • • • • • • •

·        Stock C & D class streams

 

Question #2

What fisheries management efforts do; you believe are most important in improving wild trout populations?

Comments to Question 2

·        Habitat protection/improvement, stream specific (flow, watershed, etc) • • • • • • • • • • •

·        Eliminate stocking

·        Special regs

·        Change size of fish stocks

·        Manage scientifically (assess why some stream respond) •

·        Ban harvest of WT •

·        No special regs •

Question #3

When wild trout populations on a particular stream do not improve with management, what actions do you believe would be the most important or appropriate to address the situation?

Comments to Question 3

·        Ability of resource to be rehabilitated

·        Improve water quality or temp

·        Revert to previous management

·        Consider other alternatives

·        What is contributing to failure

·        Determine opt. Stream performance

·        Eliminate the regulation (concentrate on ones that work

·        Focus on stream buffer zones (water temps) •

·        Habitat protection• • • • • •

·        Base stream management on constituent input/stream potential (natural)

·        How long do we wait?

·        10 years

·        Management plan should specify review date!

 

Question #4

What are your ideas on the role of harvest as part of a wild trout fishery?

Comments to Question 4

·        May be a problem based on stream characteristics

·        Small streams ban

·        Manage on large streams

·        Permit harvest

·        “Fish for Fun” ban harvest

·        limit harvest

·        use size limits to “save fish”

·        educate anglers about impact of harvest

·        Stream specific restrictions use size limits

·        Determine how harvest works as a management tool

·        Account for natural predation/mortality bigger fish = bigger target

·        Manage top 10% streams leave the others alone

·        Emphasize educate/ethics

·        Allow opportunity for harvest

·        No fish is wasted regardless of death source!!!

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Stocked Trout Questions – Group 5/Potomac

Question #3

What actions should the commission take to better promote the stocked trout fishery?

Comments to Question 3

·        Why do we need to promote stoked trout

·        How much do we spend for marginal angler

·        Educate as to why stockies “live” •

·        Get rid of regulated areas

·        Float stock to distribute fish across current stocked • •

·        Year round stocking

·        Promote as “natural resource”

·        Consider economic impact to local economy

·        Show anglers “toasted” stocked trout streams “ghost fish” •

 

Question #5

Delayed harvest regulations are one of the tools used by the Commission to manage stocked trout fisheries.  What factors should be considered in determining when and how to use delayed harvest management on particular waters?

Comments to Question 5

·        Make  every stocked stream delayed harvest

·        Distribute fish when available

·        All tackle ok

·        Make sure campers/kids can keep some

·        Could eliminate all delayed harvest

·        Consider all tackle once kill season arrives

 

Question #7

What factors should the Commission use in deciding where to stock trout?

Comments to Question 7

·        No class A’s

·        Use existing system

·        Stocked trout to attract new anglers

·        Urban areas

·        Use of public streams

·        Good access; Focus effort here

·        Don’t’ over emphasize sales over fishing

·        More distribution to eliminate

·        Focus on fishing experience

·        Hook angels with numbers then provide more rural experience stock

·        Stock lakes more

·        If it’s not broke don’t fix it. • • • •

·        Create fishing experience in rural areas

 

·        Fixed $$

·        Do best we can with what we have (PFBC determines)

·        Fix big ones first

·        Where most of production is from

·        Survey anglers what effect would change in hatchery operation have on license sales

·        Use of super streams

·        Pay as you go

·        If use super streams no tackle restrictions

·        Increase size of hatchery trout fewer xx’s

 

 

 

Facilitated Break out Groups

Discuss Water Quality & Habitat Improvement Questions-Group 5/Potomac

Question # 5

What are your ideas about how these programs, which benefit all Pennsylvanians, should be funded in the future?

Comments to Question 5

·        Tap local gov’t

·        User fees for non sportsmen •

·        Habitat improvement bulletin

·        Shift funding to H.I.

·        From stocking Yes/No

·        More local Inv.

·        Direct local efforts to “in need” streams

·        Facilitate application process •

·        Use PFBC time as match for projects

·        Tipping fee

·        Growing greener

·        Conservation stamp for habitat •• • • • • • • • • •

·        Lobby state for more funds

·        More education that fish and boat pays the bill for all users • • • •

·        voluntary donation for access • •

 

Question #3

What are your ideas about how the state can best inform the angling public about these matters?

Comments to Question 3

·        No more press releases

·        Continue to publish in reg book

·        Be honest with info don’t sugar coat it

·        Pennsylvanians can handle it

·        PCB’s are everywhere let folks know about levels of PCB’s in other food

·        Keep it simple

·        The more you try to explain the worse more confusing it gets

 

Question #4

What can be done to encourage private/public partnerships to insure that these lands and waters remain protected and open for public fishing for generations yet to come?

Comments to Question 4

·        Buy it!

·        Educate anglers to fragile relationship

·        Landowner Recognition program have to be PFBC program • • • • • • • • • •

·        Signs for landowners

·        Accept donated easements

·        Water access etiquette education

·        Educate landowners hoe to enter into conservation easement tax incentives

·        T.U. chapters use list if landowners to contact thank, recognize landowners each year

 

Question #2

What do you see as the Commission’s role in habitat improvement programs?

Comments to Question 2

·        Tech assistance

·        Permitting oversight review

·        Additional $’s

·        Tools for WCO’s to protect habitat

·        Profession WQ assessment service

·        WQ monitoring by WCO

·        Database avail. For local efforts

·        Showcase success stories

·        Advocate for resource

·        Habitat improvement == more fish

·        Positive PFBC attitude

·        Let streams maintain natural productivity

·        Limit harvest

·        More input on dirt gravel roads

·        Let streams meet potential even if means stop stocking

·        Landowner incentive for habitat protections improvement

·        Education of value of wild trout