Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 4

by Timothy D. Schaeffer

Executive Director
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
Much has been written about the dramatic increase in
outdoor activities during 2020. Anglers and boaters have flocked
to the water for fun, safe, convenient, and affordable recreation.
As of this writing, fishing license sales are up nearly 20% for
the year, and launch permits among those discovering and
rediscovering the joys of unpowered boating have skyrocketed
by nearly 40%. We are already looking forward to welcoming
everyone back to the water in 2021.
These numbers are likely not a surprise to anyone who had
an eye outside this year. Fishing rods, boats, and laughter on and
along Pennsylvania water seemed to be everywhere you looked
and listened.
When comparing figures to 2019, the one that saw the
largest percentage increase may come as a surprise. Collectively,
the four Voluntary Permits introduced in 2019 have seen
an impressive 146% increase in sales, generating more than
$280,000 for projects dedicated specifically to four categories:
Bass, Musky, Habitat/Waterways Conservation, and Wild Trout
and Enhanced Waters.
To the over 17,700 of you who voluntarily contributed to this
budding program that directly supports the long-term viability
of aquatic resources in Pennsylvania, thank you!
We were not sure of the degree to which anglers would make
contributions to such a voluntary program, and we have been
pleased with the response and implicit faith that it reflects in
our stewardship of the funds.
It is important to emphasize that this program is allowing
us to do more for the species and habitats you care about than
we normally would have been able to accomplish. We are not
simply using the Voluntary Permit proceeds to supplant other
funds. They are additive, allowing us to install more habitat,
conduct more surveys, acquire better equipment, and make a
significant difference for the resource.
By far, the most popular offering has been the Voluntary Bass
Permit, with sales of 6,791 permits so far this year. That is nearly
double the numbers for Habitat/Waterways Conservation (3,878
permits) and Wild Trout and Enhanced Waters (3,448 permits).
The Voluntary Musky Permit has been supported by nearly
2,413 people so far this year.
We pledged to transparently invest these contributions, and
we have been doing just that with your support. Despite the
trying circumstances of a field season like no other, our staff
have been hard at work across the Commonwealth investing
the proceeds from the permits. If you are one of the generous
donors to this program, here are some examples of how we are

4

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * November/December 2020	

photo-courtesy of PA State Representative Kate Klunk

Contributions
at Work

implementing it on your
behalf.
Lake Marburg, York
County, is a 1,275-acre
lake located in Codorus
State Park and is a regional
fishing destination.
With support from the
Voluntary Bass Permit,
we completed a largescale habitat project
that added fish habitat,
improved angler access,
and stabilized an eroding
The PFBC Lake Habitat Section
lakeshore. Habitat features
Chief Ben Page (right) takes State
included stone deflectors,
Representative Kate Klunk on a
rock rubble humps, and
tour of habitat improvements at
felled shoreline trees. I was
Lake Marburg, York County.
happy to join our team
at the lake to see them in action, and, as always, it was great
to be a part of the energy that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission (PFBC) staff bring to their jobs every day. From
the biologists who design the projects to the crew who operate
the heavy machinery, the PFBC staff are working for you.
Bass projects also included fish habitat improvements in
Lake Arthur, Butler County; Woodcock Creek Lake, Crawford
County; and Blue Marsh Reservoir, Berks County. Special thanks
to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, which manages the waters at Lake Marburg and
Lake Arthur, and to the United States Army Corps of Engineers
for their cooperation at Woodcock Creek Lake and Blue Marsh
Reservoir. With support from the bass funds, we are also
conducting an opinion survey of tournament bass anglers to help
determine fisheries management decisions statewide.
Other 2020 projects include stream habitat improvements in
the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters section of First Fork
Sinnemahoning Creek, Potter County; unassessed wild Brook
Trout surveys in the Delaware and Lower Susquehanna Basins;
deployment of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and
arrays to assess wild Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout movement
in the Upper Delaware River; removal of five culverts to restore
connectivity to 4.3 miles of Ott Fork, Lycoming County;
acquisition of portable power winches used in the placement
of large wood debris statewide; and the purchase of minnows
and an inline water heating system to assist efforts to raise larger
muskies that have a greater chance of survival and, ultimately, of
being there for anglers to enjoy.
All of these projects were supported by Voluntary Permits sold
in 2019. With more than twice as much funding being generated
in 2020, anglers should expect to hear about even more exciting
and meaningful projects being implemented in 2021. We will be
featuring more success stories in e-mail messages, social media
posts, and other outlets. If you read about something you like,
please share it with fellow fishing and boating enthusiasts who
may like to learn more about what we are doing for them.
Thank you again for the trust and confidence that is reflected in
every Voluntary Permit contribution. You are making a difference.
www.fishandboat.com
http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020

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