April 15, 2000/Opening Day of Trout Season- Pennsylvania's Fishing Tradition
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April 15, 2000/Opening Day of Trout Season- Pennsylvania's Fishing Tradition The Keystone State's Official Fishing and Boating Magazine PROTECT • CONSERVE • ENHANCE Trout Season and Looking Toward Summer The March/April issue of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater tradi courses include those taught by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxil tionally focuses on trout. Pennsylvania is one of the top iary, the U.S. Power Squadrons, and other organizations. No trout-fishing states. We often vie with California for the matter which course you take, successful students are issued title of "Tops in Trout" in terms of trout angling days. the same type of boating safety education certificate by the About 70 percent of our license buyers purchase a trout Commission. stamp. For the new trout season that starts on April 15, we Even though PWC currently make up just seven percent of will have a new creel limit for the first time in 48 years. The the 352,000 boats registered in Pennsylvania, they are in limit is now five trout per day. Trout fishing patterns have volved in a disproportionate number of boating accidents changed over the years, and the new limits reflect the desires and complaints from other boaters and anglers. In 1999, 29 of the vast majority of trout anglers. Indeed, many trout percent of all reported boating accidents involved at least anglers practice catch-and-release fishing regularly. one PWC, and 45 percent of all boating collisions involved at Elsewhere in this issue you'll find the current inseason least one PWC. Analysis by the Fish & Boat Commission trout stocking schedule. Remember that this schedule is shows that these accidents are usually caused by operators subject to change and that updates are available on our web not keeping a proper lookout or operating a boat in a care site: www.fish.state.pa.us. The Fish & Boat Commission less manner. Many of the accidents are caused by people stocks about 5 million adult trout each year, and our coop new to boat operation, and nearly all of these accidents are erative nurseries stock another one million trout. Based on avoidable. These incidents and the types of violations com the best available information we have, Fish & Boat Com monly observed by our officers can be addressed through mission-stocked trout are safe to catch, safe to handle, and safety education. safe to eat in moderation. Most boating courses are taught by organizations such as Even as you enjoy a spring day, thinking about trout fish community colleges, boat clubs, and the like, and a modest ing or angling on a trout stream, you may wish to think fee is often required. Boating courses taught by Commis forward to the summer. As I reminded readers here in the sion personnel are very low-cost or free. A list of courses and last issue, there is a new requirement in effect for certain their sponsors is available from the Commission by calling boat operators in Pennsylvania. Starting January 1, all op 1-888-723-4741, or by visiting our web site at erators of specialty boats known as personal watercraft www.fish.state.pa.us. When inquiring about a course, ask (PWC) must now carry a boating safety education certificate the sponsor about fees. Under current law, there is no fee for with them when on the water. You earn a certificate by com issuance of a boating safety education certificate. A boating pleting a safe boating course or passing an equivalency safety certificate is good for life. It does not need to be re exam. This regulation applies to all operators of PWC, not newed regularly. just the owners. Even though we strongly recommend a safety course for Close to 30,000 safety certificates were issued by the Com all boaters, the mandatory education provisions apply only mission last year-a new record. Still, that's only a fraction of to the operators of PWC. This requirement does not apply the total number of PWC operators in the state. Our in to operators of other boats such as canoes, fishing boats and structors also report that many of their students were not sailboats, but taking a course is still a good idea. PWC operators at all. As a result, we anticipate substantial Another good idea is to take a look at some Internet demand for boating courses this spring. Boaters are advised courses, if you have access. Even though these courses do to take a course soon to avoid the spring rush. Now is the not meet the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission's crite time to sign up for a boating safety course! ria for course approval, they are good educational tools. The A personal watercraft is a boat less than 16 feet in length BOAT/U.S. Foundation for Boating Safety Internet course that uses an internal combustion motor powering a water jet and other on-line boating safety lessons serve as great warm- pump as its primary source of propulsion. It is designed to ups for an approved course in Pennsylvania. be operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling. Per Boating courses are good for the entire family. There is sonal watercraft are better known to the public by brand no minimum age requirement to take a boating course. names that include Jet Ski®, Sea Doo®, Wave Runner®, Ti Most courses are designed for students 12 years of age and ger Shark®, Wet Jet®, and others. older. There is a requirement that all personal watercraft Operators of these boats can meet the new requirement by operators must be at least 12 years old. successfully completing a Commission-approved boating course and accompanying examination. Approved courses Peter A. Colangelo include the Commission's PA Basic Boating, PA Personal Executive Director Watercraft, Boating and Water Safety Awareness, and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission new PWC Equivalency Examination. Other approved Pennsylvania Angler & Boater www.fish.state.pa.us commission Commission Adopts Special Regulations for Three Southwest Waterways The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission adopted special fishing regulations for three southwest Pennsylvania lakes expected to open for public use later this year. The special designations occurred at the agency's winter meeting January 21-22 in Camp Hill. Hinckston Dam and Wilmore Dam, Cambria County, opted not to adopt a suggested ban on personal water- along with Quemahoning Reservoir, Somerset County, were craft on Lake Winola, Wyoming County. designated as Big Bass Waters. Under Big Bass regulations, opted not to promulgate proposed special boating the daily creel limit for bass is four fish that are 15 inches or regulations on a section of the Schuylkill River within the larger. In addition, all three waters were added to the boundaries of Valley Forge National Park. Panfish Enhancement Special Regulation Program, designed , authorized the lease of approximately 3.5 acres of Com to increase the number and size of sunfish, crappies and yel mission property along Fishing Creek, Columbia County, to low perch. Wilmore Dam and Quemahoning Reservoir will PennDOT for the construction of a parking facility for use have a nine-inch minimum size limit for crappies and yellow by anglers and the general public. perch, along with a seven-inch minimum on sunfish. authorized the acquisition of a three-acre parcel from Hinckston Dam will have a nine-inch minimum for crappies PennDOT for a future access site along the Susquehanna with the seven-inch restriction for sunfish. All three lakes River in Hallstead Borough, Susquehanna County. will allow a daily panfish limit of 20 (combined species). amended miscellaneous special regulations to reflect In other action, the Commission: the statewide trout creel limit reduction. # adopted a provision that allows unpowered boats with a approved a grant of $6,200 to the Great Lakes Fishery state of principal operation other than the Commonwealth Commission for a Lake Erie walleye harvest study. to meet Pennsylvania's registration requirements if they established guidelines for the designation of waters comply with the registration and display requirements of limited to specific populations. their state of principal operation. The move was approved clarified regulatory language to make it clear that the to simplify the understanding of Pennsylvania's regulations use of crossbows for fishing other than by persons with dis for non-residents and encourage outdoor recreational tour abilities with the appropriate permits is not allowed. ism. Previously, unpowered boats from other states were proposed rules allowing for a boater to establish posi required to be registered and display a validation sticker and tive proof of boat registration to a law enforcement officer registration number to use Fish & Boat Commission access via mail. areas, regardless of the registration rules in the craft's home proposed regulatory amendments clarifying legal uses state. of motor vehicles on Commission property. # passed rules regarding the display of validation decals proposed consolidating two overlapping sections of the only on boats possessing valid marine documents when used regulations dealing with the right to limit access to Commis for recreational purposes when Pennsylvania is the state of sion property. principal operation. proposed a housekeeping regulation to affirm that the # approved seeking public comment on proposed pro taking, catching or killing of herring in the Susquehanna cesses for releasing documents pursuant to the state's Right River and its tributaries is unlawful. to Know Law. proposed regulations clarifying the process for acquir II adopted special provisions for the operation of boat ing title to boats that are junked, destroyed, lost, stolen or liveries. abandoned.-Dan Tredinnick. # decided to seek public comment on a proposed rewrit ing of rules related to required sound-producing devices for boats.