SHINGLEHOUSE — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has decided to postpone action on a proposal that would have seen a local trout hatchery shuttered and stocked fish numbers decline across the region.
The Oswayo Hatchery, operated by the PFBC, was on the chopping block, as were the Union City hatchery in Erie County and the VanDyke Research Station in Juniata County. The move was aimed at cutting approximately $2 million from the budget, which PFBC officials claimed was necessary due to the legislature’s refusal to increase annual fishing license fees.
“This is great news for area anglers, as the Oswayo Hatchery plays a vital role in ensuring quality fishing opportunities in our region,” said State Representative Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint). “With about $50 million in uncommitted reserve funds available within the agency, there was no need to close any hatcheries at this time.”
The facility’s closure would have resulted in a small loss in local jobs but would also have eliminated 240,000 adult stocked trout in four lakes and 61 streams across the region. Many of the streams and lakes stocked with Oswayo-reared fish are located in Cameron, Elk, McKean, Potter and Clinton counties, and are some of the most popular fishing locales in the state. Those decreases would likely have impacted local business owners who depend on the additional revenue earned from tourists visiting for the abundant fishing opportunities in this rural area of the state and caused additional jobs to be lost.
In Cameron County, the Sinnemahoning Portage Creek, Upper Jerry Run, Wykoff Run, and two stretches each of the Driftwood Branch and Sinnemahoning Portage Creek would no longer be stocked. The closure of warmwater hatcheries in Erie and Juniata counties would also affect stocking activities in four lakes, three of which are local: Bradford Marilla Brook Reservoir and Hamlin Lake in McKean County, and Lyman Run Reservoir in Potter County. Potter County would lose stocking on the Allegheny River, Sinnemahoning Creek’s East Fork, Kettle Creek, Lyman Run, the Genesee River, and Oswayo Creek; McKean would lose stocked fish in the Allegheny River, Chappel Fork, Kinzua Creek, Marvin Creek, Meade Run, Skinner Creek, South Branch of Kinzua Creek, and Willow Creek.
Speaking of the Oswayo Hatchery closure, Causer stated, “This is just another example of how Harrisburg bureaucrats treat our rural communities like second-class citizens.” He noted that the PFBC also threatened to close the Oswayo Hatchery in 2013.
While the PFBC notes that license fees have not increased since 2005, Causer argues that the PFBC has a surplus of money in their budget to cover gaps until the legislation can be passed.
PFBC officials state that the reserve money—of which they hold nearly $50 million, or one year’s budget—is to be used for projects such as repair to dams, or emergencies that may arise.
Lawmakers and fishing enthusiasts worry that the closure of this hatchery, specifically, would send the number of licenses sold plummeting in the area it serves. Fishing license sales have already slumped in recent years, despite an uptick in boating permits.
While the state Senate did approve a bill, Senate Bill 30, that would have seen license costs increase by about $7, the bill did not make it out of the House Game and Fisheries Committee to be voted on by the full House. The bill includes a measure that would allow the PFBC to increase license fees without the legislature’s approval.
While no license fee increase will be enacted in the 2018-19 season, it seems more likely now that the legislature will move forward with SB 30 or some similar bill, as it has gained some support in the House.
“I look forward to working with the board of commissioners to address the long-range fiscal health of the agency and keeping the best interests of our anglers and boaters at the forefront of the discussion,” said Causer.
