Commission Proposes Slot Limit on Penns Creek
HARRISBURG,
Pa. (Jan. 24) – Anglers visiting the popular Section 03 of Penns Creek
in Centre County can expect to have continued high quality angling and
could see larger trout in coming years if a proposed regulation change
approved today by the Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) Board of
Commissioners becomes final next year.
The Board took the action at its quarterly business meeting held here yesterday and today.
Commissioners
approved a notice of proposed rulemaking to establish a harvest slot
limit on Section 03 of Penns Creek, which stretches from the confluence
with Elk Creek downstream seven miles to 650 yards downstream of Swift
Run. The harvest slot limit would replace the current All-Tackle Trophy
Trout regulations.
The
change is designed to improve the size structure of the wild trout
population in this section. Under the proposed special regulation,
anglers could harvest two trout per day provided the trout are at least
seven inches but less than 12 inches in length. The regulation would
apply from opening day of trout season through Labor Day, with catch and
release for the remainder of the year. All tackle
would be permitted.
“Penns
Creek provides a unique opportunity to evaluate a new special
regulation on a productive limestone stream,” said Dave Miko, chief of
the PFBC Division of Fisheries Management. “The new regulation would
direct limited harvest to intermediate-sized fish while protecting
larger fish in the population. The other components of the new
regulation are the same as the current
regulation.”
“The
productive nature of Penns Creek provides ideal conditions to allow for
a favorable response of the wild brown trout population to trend toward
larger sizes than may be occurring under the current regulations,” he
added. “The proposed regulation strives to meet the biological
objectives for the fishery as well as the preferences of anglers and
landowners.”
The
proposed special regulation will be open for public comment for 30 days
after it is officially published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. If
approved at a subsequent board meeting, the special regulation would
take effect Jan. 1, 2014, for a seven-year period ending Dec. 31, 2020.
During this time, the trout population would be monitored to determine
the effectiveness of the regulation at meeting
biological and social objectives for the Penns Creek fishery.
In other action, Commissioners:
- Added 17 waters in Armstrong, Cambria, Clarion, Elk, Fayette, Schuylkill, Somerset and Wyoming counties to the list of wild trout streams. The list can be found on the PFBC website.
- Added four stream sections in Cambria, Fayette, Somerset and Wyoming counties to the list of Class A wild trout streams. The list can be found on the PFBC website.
- Authorized staff to purchase property rights along Caldwell Creek in Southwest Township, Warren County. The PFBC has been offered a public fishing access and conservation easement over approximately 1,940 linear feet along one side of Caldwell Creek as it flows through the property for $12,500. The easement area is located near Dotyville Road in Southwest Township. The easement will be for public fishing, boating, and riparian and fishery management and will include the stream corridor and extend 35 feet back from the top of the bank. The Middle Allegheny Tionesta Watershed ranks 10th in the Pennsylvania Fishing & Boating Access Strategy. The strategy identifies portions of Caldwell Creek needing additional public access. Caldwell Creek receives trout stockings in this area, and the acquisition of the subject rights will ensure public access to these fishing opportunities.
A complete copy of the meeting schedule and the full agenda for the meeting can be found on the Commission’s web site at www.fishandboat.com/minutes.
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