It’s been 16 years since Pennsylvania anglers have seen an increase in the cost of fishing licenses, but that will likely change as the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) has been granted the ability to set its own license fees.
Under Commonwealth law, any license fee increases historically needed to be done through an act of the state legislature. House Bill 808, recently approved by the legislature, however, allows the PFBC to increase the costs of license and permits — with legislative oversight — starting in 2021. The first fee increase will likely come with the 2022 license year.
“The ability to set our own license fees annually, if necessary, allows us to provide consistent service to anglers by adequately funding programs through small increases based on need,” says PFBC Communications Director Michael Parker. “The previous system under which the legislature set the fees was a ‘catch up’ system, which allowed for long spans of time in between license fee adjustments. (It) did not meet up with current needs and often surprised anglers with a large sum price increases after 10 or more years of paying the same price.”
As part of the agreement allowing the PFBC to set its own fees, the agency must reduce the amount of money it currently has in its reserve funds. According to the 2019 Legislative Budget and Finance Committee annual report released earlier this year, there was more than $75 million in the fishing reserve fund as of June 2018.
“We have a plan in place, which we have discussed with the legislature throughout this process, to strategically spend our reserve funds,” Parker says. “This includes investing in much needed infrastructure and equipment replacement and upgrades throughout our hatchery system and other programs which have been operating with inefficient or outdated equipment.”
As the proposal stands now, anglers would see small license fee increases in all license and permit categories annually from 2022 through 2025. The cost of a resident fishing license would go from its current $21 to $24 the first year and then increase slightly every year to $27 in 2025. Trout stamp costs would also rise, going from the current $8 to $10 in 2022 and reaching $11.50 by 2025.
Although the new legislation allows the PFBC to set its own fees, it does not require the agency to increase fees or make changes to fees annually. Any proposed license fee increases would need to be submitted to both the House and Senate Game & Fisheries Committees for review, and either committee would then have the ability to recommend to the general assembly that the license increase proposal, or aspects of the proposal, be rejected.
“The fact that we had a surge in license sales this season, and the resulting addition of revenue, reinforces our argument that we do not need to consider raising license fees every year when we have adequate funding,” Parker says. “Given the current funding levels, we do not project having to raise fees until the 2022 season.”
Locally, many anglers agree it is time for a much-needed license fee increase to help support the PFBC and the programs and services it provides.
“(This legislation) is a step in the right direction to allowing the PFBC to more fully perform its role in protecting and enhancing aquatic resources in PA,” says Erik Broesicke, president of the Monocacy Chapter of Trout Unlimited. “While it is free to enjoy the outdoors, the reality is conservation, enforcement, habitat construction and fish stocking are all very expensive. I personally like knowing that when I purchase my fishing license, the money is used solely by the PFBC, and I am willing to support that with an increase in license fees.”
Nathan Fronk, chair of Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, says his organization believes the passing of HB 808 is a critical and long overdue step in ensuring that the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is properly funded.
“License fees are the backbone of the funding for the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and as such should reflect the cost to manage, protect and enhance our state’s fisheries,” Fronk says. “We believe the PFBC should be able to set those license fees to reflect current costs of operations.”
An important area of focus with the new license fee increase will be funding programs, events and initiatives that help recruit, retain and reactivate anglers. By attracting more interest in fishing over time, it will benefit the state’s aquatic resources and fisheries, as well as help preserve the future of the sport.
“If there are more people fishing, we can do more for the resource,” Parker says. “We will be focusing on underserved populations, such as women and urban communities, where we have not been able to invest substantially before.
“We will also invest in staff, such as an invasive species coordinator, to specialize in the growing need to study, control, or eradicate invasive aquatic species and plant life that are adversely affecting our waters native populations.”
