Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2023 - 5

Making Your Contributions Count
VOLUNTARY PERMITS:
by Mike Parker
Communications Director
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
photo-Terry Malloy
O
ne of the most important things we can do as an
agency is consistently reassure anglers and boaters that
the many programs and projects we manage, funded
by their dollars, are making a positive impact.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, readers of Pennsylvania
Angler & Boater may have noticed periodic updates about the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's (PFBC's) Voluntary
Permit Program and the various small and large-scale projects
across the Commonwealth that were funded partially or
completely through this program. Voluntary Permits, first
introduced during the 2019 license year, provide no additional
privileges over a fishing license but offer an opportunity for
anglers to donate extra funds specifically to some of their
favorite programs.
During the first 4 years of the program, anglers have
generously contributed more than $625,000 through Voluntary
Permits, providing funding boosts to the PFBC's Bass
($195,379), Musky ($70,830), Habitat/Waterways Conservation
($99,899), and Wild Trout & Enhanced Waters ($259,095).
Like many fundraising programs, enthusiasm for this new
program was highest in the first few years, and the purchase
of Voluntary Permits has decreased over time. While still
significant, the combined $102,795 generated through the sale of
Voluntary Permits in 2022 represented a 12% decrease from the
previous year and 21% less than the first offering in 2019. While
Voluntary Permits will continue to be available for generous
anglers who wish to give an added boost to the individual
program they are most passionate about, the PFBC has begun
to shift the way it spends those dollars, so your contributions
continue to count towards the completion of meaningful projects.
At the start of the program, it was decided that revenues from
sales of Voluntary Permits in one year would be used completely
to fund projects in the following year. Under this model, there
have been some fantastic results including many lake habitat
improvement projects for bass, in-stream habitat enhancements
and population surveys that benefitted wild trout, and the
addition of modern feeding systems that help grow the bestlooking
muskies we've ever seen at our state fish hatcheries.
Moving forward, as we anticipate that revenue generated by
Voluntary Permits will continue to hold steady or decrease, the
most effective use of funds will likely be when they are paired
with other funding sources to contribute to larger projects. For
instance, while a few thousand dollars from single-year Voluntary
Bass Permit revenues alone may be enough to construct and
place several dozen submerged wooden habitat structures in a
lake, using those same dollars as seed money to attract additional
grant funding from other sources could result in the placement of
hundreds of habitat structures without any additional investment
by the PFBC.
While this approach may result in some Voluntary Permit funds
being held in reserve for several years, the PFBC will continue to be
opportunistic and invest in time-sensitive projects that can make
an immediate impact for our aquatic resources and benefit anglers.
As always, we thank you for your continued support.
Voluntary Permits:
FishandBoat.com
May/June 2023
5
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2023

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