Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA issued this statement Thursday by Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell, as the Fish and Boat Commission prepares to commemorate its 150th anniversary on March 30.

Over the last 150 years, the Commission has evolved from a one-man operation funded solely by the general fund, to an agency with a complement of 432 staff, funded by anglers and boaters through license and registration fees and federal excise taxes on fishing and boating equipment.

Mr. Campbell said:

“The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission was born in 1866 out of concerns about damage to mountain lakes and streams due to sedimentation caused by wholesale logging, and for the reduction in American Shad runs in the Susquehanna River. As one of the nation’s oldest conservation agencies, the Commission nobly carries on its duties today, to protect, conserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s aquatic resources.

“The Commission’s commitment to the resources, and to the anglers and boaters it serves, is exemplified by its taking the lead in efforts to save the sick Susquehanna River and to have it declared to be an impaired waterway.

“As we celebrate our own 30th year of restoring and saving Pennsylvania’s waters, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation stands with the Fish and Boat Commission in appreciating the value that clean water offers our health, economy, and recreation.

“CBF and the Fish and Boat Commission share the commitment to clean waterways and the wildlife that depends on them in Pennsylvania. At CBF, we will continue to work diligently to see to it that the Commonwealth achieves its Clean Water Blueprint, which is designed to restore water quality to local rivers and streams by 2025.”

Visit the Fish and Boat Commission’s 150th Anniversary webpage for more information on the agency’s history and upcoming anniversary events.

For more on Chesapeake Bay-related issues in Pennsylvania, visit the CBF-PA webpage.  Click Here to sign up for Pennsylvania updates (bottom of left column).  Click Here for a copy of CBF-PA’s most recent newsletter.

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