Summary of Written
Public Comments – Trout Summit 2002
January 2003
Recognizing that insufficient time was
available to discuss issues of interest to staff, participants were provided five
questions in the registration packet so they might provide written comments
via a drop-off box at the Trout Summit. Some 40 participants provided
comments. In addition, commentary was received via the “parking lot” and “fish
bowl” and will be covered later in this report.
Question 1
Currently, the Commission generally only announces the week of inseason trout stocking; however, we have announced the date of Saturday lake stockings and some streams in public ownership. What information should the Commission provide to anglers about inseason trout stocking?
Responses were organized into several groups.
- Things are fine as they are – 15 responses shared this opinion. Most thought the current information provided for inseason stocking was fine as is but wanted some more control on the information leaks.
- Announce all inseason dates – 10 responses. Some felt this was the “fairest” method for everyone. Others felt that there were so many leaks in the current day of stocking information that we might as well just announce all inseason stockings.
- Non-committal or non-related response – 6 responses. Most of these said they fished for wild trout and didn’t care what we did with stocked trout. Some did not care as long as the information was available to everyone. A few other responses did not answer the question, rather they ranted about regulations, etc…
- Stream Closures following stocking – 5 responses. Many of these responses also said we should announce all inseason dates. They recommended a 24-hour closure following an inseason stocking.
- Cooperative Nurseries should be given dates and times for their local streams – 4 responses. 3 of the 4 were from the Newton Wayne Sportsman Club. The rationale was that if they had this information, they could stock their trout at a different time and be able to make themselves available to help stock Commission trout.
- Provide very little or no information – 3 responses. These responses thought too much information concerning inseason stocking is being provided already.
Additional thoughts:
- Provide numbers stocked only.
- Give dates for all public waters only
- Give dates for Saturday lakes only
- Announce stocking by month instead of week or day.
- Need to better educate anglers to “wean” them off the follow the truck mentality
Question 2
The state’s trout hatcheries are limited in the pounds of trout they can produce. Hatcheries can produce more small fish or fewer large fish and remain within water quality and flow related production caps. What balance should the Commission strike between the number of trout stocked and the size of trout stocked?
- Prefer fewer but larger stocked trout – 16 responses. Many said they preferred quality to quantity and felt most other fisherman feel the same.
- Prefer more but smaller stocked trout – 4 responses. Felt quantity of trout was most important.
- Non-committal or things are okay as is – 4 responses. Most said they didn’t fish for stocked trout all that much.
- Specific Suggestions – 3 responses offered their specific suggestions related to percent stocked at a particular size.
- 50% smaller trout and 50% larger trout
- 80% trout less than 12 inches and 20% over 12 inches
- 80-85% 10 to 14 inches and 15-20% over 14 inches
- More and Bigger – 3 responses
- Stock a variety of sizes – 2 responses. Would like to see size stocked simulate what you would find in a stream population
Additional Comments:
- Stock at least one trophy trout or “Salter” trout for each stream.
- Stock fewer larger fish except in urban areas
- Medium size fish are okay
- Stock by pounds instead of numbers
- Use All-Tackle Delayed Harvest regulations to encourage recycling of stocked trout.
Question 3
As a result of outstanding volunteer efforts, Pennsylvania cooperative nurseries currently stock about 1 million adult trout each year in various waters. Looking toward the future, what are your ideas about the role of cooperative nurseries and your suggestions for how cooperative nursery efforts should factor into the state’s trout stocking programs?
- Support the program and look to increase the role of Cooperative Nurseries. – 20 responses. Many see the coops as being able to stock waters that the PFBC can not or will not stock. Particularly, the smaller streams or local streams that have been targeted for removal. Some suggested that given more resources for better rearing units and fish distribution, coops could take over some of the burden from the PFBC hatcheries. Others who supported expanding cooperative nurseries did not want the PFBC to dictate where they stock.
- Cooperative Nurseries should have the same or a reduced role in PFBC stocking – 10 responses. Many of these cited factors such as expansion of effluent problems, stocking over wild populations, and a lack of PFBC control over where coop fish are stocked as reasons not to expand the program.
- Non-committal – 7 responses. These respondents either were not aware of the program or did not give an answer related to the question.
Additional Comments:
- Coops can be used to vary the size distribution of fish stocked
- Will DEP be targeting their discharges?
- Do not use coop fish for derbies and rodeos