Everywhere you look it seems like prices are continuing to rise, and, apparently, fishing licenses are no exception. After increasing this year for the first time since 2005, the cost of angling licenses and permits may be on the rise again in 2024.
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Board of Commissioners met to hear an agency proposal to raise license fees again starting Jan. 1.
The proposal calls for raising the resident annual license cost from $23.50 to $26 and a trout stamp from $10.50 to $13. Senior resident annual licenses would increase from $11.25 to $12.50, while senior lifetime licenses would go from $75 to $85. The cost of non-resident and 1-, 3- and 7-day licenses would go up as well.
According to the PFBC, increasing the fees for fishing licenses and permits, which could generate $2.9 million in additional revenue for the agency, is needed to offset inflationary pressures. The increases would also help support infrastructure improvements and maintenance efforts at state fish hatcheries, hazardous dams, boat launch access areas and other PFBC-owned facilities; upgrades and replacement of agency equipment, vehicles and watercraft; improvements to field and classroom educational offerings and more, the PFBC says.
It’s important to note that revenues generated from fishing license sales are the lifeblood of the organization, with more than 67% of the agency’s Fish Fund revenues coming from license and permit sales. “If new revenues are not in place for the 2024 license year,” the proposal states, “the Commission will not be able to maintain adequate levels of services to Pennsylvania’s anglers, let alone respond to angler desires for expanded efforts in many program areas.”
According to PFBC Director of Communications Michael Parker, the reason the agency is looking to increase license fees two years in a row is that the 2023 increase was designed to only cover continued agency operations for this year, and now the PFBC staff is recommending another increase for 2024 based on estimated operational needs next year.
Parker noted that prior to Act 56 of 2020, which allowed the PFBC to set its own license and permit fees, legislative action was required for any license changes or increases.
“This process resulted in long periods, often a decade or more, without a fee increase, followed by a large fee increase in prices all at once,” Parker said. “This was unpredictable and provided a sense of sticker shock to anglers.
“The goal of the new process has always been to make fee increases smaller but more frequent, when necessary, to keep up with the cost of operations.”
When asked if anglers should now anticipate a license fee increase every year or two, Parker noted they should expect the PFBC to manage its operations responsibly, including making fee adjustments only when necessary to maintain operations and programs.
If the PFBC Board of Commissioners preliminarily accepts the proposed fishing license fee increases presented by agency staff, the PFBC will then need to post the rulemaking for public comment and hold at least one public hearing on the proposed changes. The board will then need to take a final vote on the proposal and if passed, share the finalized regulation, any public comments and the transcript from the public hearing with the Senate and House Game and Fisheries Committees for review.
