Dr. Douglas Austen

The Fish & Boat Commission reported the number of licenses sold was down after last year’s fee increase, but revenue is up and efforts to promote habitat restoration, youth involvement in fishing and its projects funded by Growing Greener bonds are moving ahead.

Dr. Douglas Austen, Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission, made the comments as he presented his annual report and a special Growing Greener bond project report to the House Game and Fisheries Committee this week.

Dr. Austen said the decline in the number of licenses issued was expected and paralleled previous experiences with fee increases. Revenue increased by over 21 percent, boosted by the sale of over 25,000 of the new Lake Erie permits.

Contracts have been awarded or will be awarded shortly for upgrades to five of the Commission’s hatcheries—Tylersville, Pleasant Gap, Bellefonte, Huntsdale and Benner Springs—with more projects in the planning stages. The projects are funded with Growing Greener bond funds.

Dr. Austen noted the Commission still has significant unmet capital project needs, even with the new funding, at the 14 hatcheries, 62 dams and over 250 boat access sites it manages.

Pennsylvania continues to be a leader in dam removal to improve aquatic habitat. Last year there were 11 dam removals resulting in re-opening 100 miles of stream habitat for migratory and riverine fishes.

Last year a new Division of Fish Habitat and Restoration was created within the Commission, and new field staff was hired around the state to work with a variety of partners to conduct habitat restoration projects.

Dr. Austen noted he has focused more Commission resources on habitat restoration because of his involvement in the National Fish Habitat Initiative. This federal effort has worked with a variety of partners to attract new funding from both public and private partners, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which hopes to raise $125 million nationwide for habitat restoration projects.

The Commission is on track to put a new Point of Sale program in place by December 1 of this year which promises more convenience for both license buyers and license sellers.

Dr. Austen outlined several initiatives underway to engage youth in fishing, including new education programs and a proposal for a Junior Fishing License. Proceeds from the new license would be earmarked for youth education activities.

Research compiled by the Commission and the Governor’s Youth Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation clearly shows youth involvement in the outdoors is declining because of all the competition with other activities.

“We need to face up to the fact that young people are busy, have money, and have an overwhelming and exhaustive litany of events, electronic toys, and distractions imposed upon their time,” Dr. Austin said.

“Research clearly shows that good, well-structured youth fishing programs lead to kids increasing their skills, fishing more, and building a greater sense of aquatic stewardship and outdoor ethics. So not only do good youth fishing programs create better anglers, they create better citizens.”

Dr. Austen said he would be discussing the proposal with members of the Committee to creatively address concerns about the cost of a Junior License, enforcement and other issues. There are 272,000 youth ages 12 to 15 in Pennsylvania.

A copy of the Fish & Boat Commission’s full 2005 annual report is online.

A copy of Dr. Austen’s remarks to the Committee are available online.

The Game Commission will present its annual report to the House Game and Fisheries Committee on February 9.

Links: Out of Sight? Out of Mind? Youth Disconnected from the Outdoors.

Pennsylvania League of Angling Youth

2/3/2006