The fees for the most commonly issued fishing licenses and permits – resident annual fishing license, trout permit and combination trout/Lake Erie permit – will increase by $2.50 each if the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Board of Commissioners approves a list of proposed fee hikes a second time at a future meeting.

The board gave the proposed increases preliminary approval at a special meeting on Friday and plans to present the list in a public hearing before a second meeting as it works to put the new fees into place for the 2023 license year.

It would be the first fishing license fee increase since 2005.

In addition to the fee hikes for the most common fishing licenses and permits, under the proposal, increases also would be applied to other license and permit categories for non-residents, seniors and tourists.

The commission estimates that the fee increases will generate $2.5 million annually for the Fish Fund to support fishing related programs.

“These modest fee adjustments would ensure that important infrastructure, services and programs for anglers and boaters can continue and improve into the future while keeping prices reasonable,” said Richard Kauffman, commission president.

“While the price of a fishing license has remained the same for the past 17 years, operational expenses have continued to go up and it is time to bring our fees in line with our business needs.”

Fishing license fee hike on agenda for Pa. Fish and Boat Commission

Also on Friday, the board gave preliminary approval to fee adjustments for several categories of boat titles, licenses, and permits.

Many of the administrative fees, such as those related to the issuing of title certificates, cast net permits, and penalties for uncollectable checks, have not been updated since the 1980s or 1990s.

If approved, revenues from the boating fee increases are expected to generate an estimated $30,000 annually for the Fish Fund and $1.5 million for the Boat Fund to support boating related programs.

The commission gained authorization to set its own fees through Act 56 of 2020. That act also requires the commission to present the proposed fee increases during a public hearing before considering final approval by the board. Also, after final board approval, the fee adjustments must be shared with the Pennsylvania House and Senate Game and Fisheries Committees for their review.