Fall 2020 Publication of the Pa. Council of Trout Unlimited www.patrout.org PATU Annual Meeting goes virtual; award winners announced The 2020 PATU Annual Membership Meeting was conducted via Zoom tele- conference on Sept. 19 with 65 partici- pants representing 43 of our 49 chapters statewide. PATU’s annual awards were presented to the following chapters and individu- als whose good works exemplified our mission, “to conserve, protect, restore and reconnect Pennsylvania’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds:” Ralph Scherder Photo Best Chapter Project – Neshannock Brown trout aren’t the only fish you’ll find in small headwater streams. Brook trout Chapter, Plantation Park – Phase 1 can surprise, too, and Pennsylvania’s state fish are some of the prettiest you’ll see. Best Small Chapter (under 150 mem- See MEETING, page 3 Trickle Trout Protecting streams By Ralph Scherder Editor’s Note: Each year at its spring from assessment banquet, the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writ- ers Association – of which Pennsylvania The rougher the road got, the narrower the stream became, and by the time our through regulation Council of Trout Unlimited is a support- By Jennifer Orr-Greene ing member – presents its Excellence in convoy arrived at its destination, the flow TU Eastern Policy Director Craft Awards. These awards recognize was little more than a trickle. I’d decided POWA members for their outstanding to join a team of biologists from the Penn- For the past 10-plus years, Trout Unlim- work during the previous calendar year. sylvania Fish & Boat Commission as they ited staff have been working in conjunction PATU has been a longtime sponsor of electroshocked the headwaters of one of with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Com- the “Trout and the Coldwater Resource my favorite streams. mission with additional funding from the Award.” This article authored by outdoor Although the main stem had been des- Foundation for PA Watersheds, the Heinz writer Ralph Scherder, published in ignated Class A Wild Trout waters back Endowment, and others to complete Unas- American Angler in Spring 2019 – and in the early 1990s, the tributaries that sessed Waters surveys in streams across reprinted here with permission – was converged to create the stream had never the state. selected as this year’s winner. See TRICKLE, page 10 See STREAMS, page 2 IN THIS ISSUE Headwaters .............................................................4 Fly Patterns of Pennsylvania.................................6 Treasurer’s Report..................................................5 PATU Merchandise Order Form ............................7 EXCOM Actions ......................................................5 Minutes .................................................................8-9 STREAMS more protective in preventing runoff from from page 1 impacting the stream. These processes have been working These assessments are targeted using a smoothly in the past four to five years as variety of factors, including geographic PFBC has diligently worked to evaluate watershed and land use/land cover analy- and list streams that had been backlogged. PA COUNCIL OF However, while these segments are listed TROUT UNLIMITED sis, as well as to document populations that PO Box 5148 are reestablishing in areas of watershed and receiving “interim” protections (re- Bellefonte, PA recovery. ferred to as existing use protections), once 16823 Each year, sampling sites area are they are delivered to PADEP, it can be 3-5 PRESIDENT – Greg Malaska chosen, electroshocked in the field, field years before regulations are promulgated 218 W. 13th St. chemistry taken, and class and biomass to officially protect these streams from Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 measurements recorded. Fin clips and/ present and further development. This long Phone: 570-657-7169 delay is due to resource issues at PADEP, Email: [email protected] or PIT tags are also sometimes used for further study later. Since 2010, TU has as well as the complex regulatory process EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT – sampled hundreds of sites throughout that exists in Pennsylvania. Bobby Hughes Pennsylvania to document populations There is good news on the horizon, 394 E. Washington St. however. Nanticoke, PA 18634 of wild trout. Over the years, approxi- Phone: 570-239-3909 mately 40% of all sites sampled support PADEP recently published a “draft final” Email: [email protected] populations of wild trout representing a package of Class A streams that are moving through the final rulemaking process. This EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT – significant number of streams that would Len Lichvar not otherwise be identified as eligible for means that this package had been released 213 Atlantic St. higher levels of protection. previously for public comment, comments Boswell, PA 15531 These assessments are key in starting were addressed/responded to, and now this Phone: 814-659-7057 is the package PADEP is proposing as final. Email: [email protected] a process that ends in Clean Water Act regulatory protections through discharge On Nov. 19, the package will be pre- TREASURER – Russell Thrall permits and other mechanisms. In addition sented to the Water Resources Advisory 159 Swift Road to wild trout streams, a sub-set of these Committee for a vote to allow it to con- Stroudsburg, PA 18360 tinue along in the rulemaking process. Phone: 570-620-8677 streams also qualify for Class A listing Email: [email protected] status based on species-specific biomass The package will have other stops at estimates and year class distributions. the Environmental Quality Board, in the SECRETARY – Bob Pennell legislature, the Attorney General’s Office, 2319 Valley Road TU field staff pass along the results of Harrisburg, PA 17104 these assessments to the Fish and Boat and the Independent Regulatory Review Phone: 717-395-5124 Commission for evaluation and recom- Commission before officially becoming Email: [email protected] mendation for listing to the commissioners. a regulation. PA TROUT EDITOR & DESIGNER – At each quarterly meeting, the commis- While the public comment period has Brad Isles sioners vote on staff recommendations closed for this package, look for upcoming P.O. Box 23 to add these streams to the wild trout and opportunities to sign a petition or sign-on Grove City, PA 16127 Class A lists. letter to tell PADEP, its advisory com- Phone: 724-967-2832 mittees, legislators, and the Independent Email: [email protected] Once added to the PFBC lists, the waters are referred to the Pennsylvania Regulatory Review Commission to finalize PA TROUT ADVERTISING – Department of Environmental Protection these protective regulations. Brad Isles So why is identifying and listing unas- P.O. Box 23 for inclusion in modifications to PADEP Grove City, PA 16127 regulations that classify streams based sessed waters as wild trout streams and/or Phone: 724-967-2832 on their biological, chemical, and physi- Class A streams so important? Email: [email protected] cal characteristics. This means that these First, these listings allow management WEB EDITOR – Bob Pennell listings trigger a change in how activities of salmonid resources in these waters in 2319 Valley Road considered by the PADEP, requiring any accordance with the recently released Harrisburg, PA 17104 projects in these watersheds to use practic- Pennsylvania Trout Management plan. Phone: 717-395-5124 These include management activities such Email: [email protected] es that are more protective of these waters. For higher levels of protection for Class as preserving areas containing wild trout COPYRIGHT 2020 A streams (High Quality – HQ), facilities populations as wild, discouraging the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited must evaluate alternatives to discharging to stocking of waters that include wild, native No portion may be reproduced the protected stream, implement 150-foot brook trout populations. without permission. riparian buffers, and include BMPs that are Continued on next page... 2 PA TROUT ... Fall 2020 www.patrout.org Council elects slate of officers PA COUNCIL The following officers were elected to Northcentral Regional Vice President OF TROUT serve one-year terms, effective Oct. 1. – Bob Volkmar President – Greg Malaska Northwest Regional Vice President – UNLIMITED Executive Vice President (Eastern Kelly Williams 2020-21 COMMITTEES PA) – Bobby Hughes Southwest Regional Vice President – Awards – Bryan Mathie Beth Boyd Executive Vice President (Western 717-404-7642 / [email protected] PA) – Lenny Lichvar Southcentral Regional Vice President Budget – Secretary – Bob Pennell – Russ Collins Russell Thrall 570-620-8677 / [email protected] Treasurer – Russ Thrall Southeast Regional Vice President – Coldwater Heritage Partnership Admin. – Northeast Regional Vice President – Brenda Bittinger Rachel Kester Russ Thrall NLC Representative – Brian Wagner 814-359-5233 / [email protected] v v v Coldwater Heritage Partnership TU Delegate – Ken Sink Award for Outstanding Ken Undercoffer MEETING 814-765-1035 / [email protected] Service to PATU – Bob Volkmar from page 1 College/5 Rivers – Inky Moore Award for Outstanding Charlie Charlesworth bers) – Adams County Chapter Contributions to PATU’s Conservation 570-954-5042 / [email protected] Mission – Rachel Kester Communications – Samuel Slaymaker Best Newsletter Brad Isles – Susquehanna Chapter, Susquehanna A special Lifetime Achievement Award 724-967-2832 / [email protected] Ripples in the form of a framed Ned Smith “Sting Conservation – of the Hook” print was presented to Ken Bob Volkmar Best