Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission considers fishing license increases
It might cost a little more to go fishing in Pennsylvania in 2023 if a proposed license increase is adopted.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is looking at raising the cost of a fishing license and a trout stamp each by $2.50. If adopted, it would be the first time in 17 years the agency has raised the cost for licenses.
The Executive and Administrative Committee of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission met Thursday afternoon and voted to have the rule-making process begin to raise the rates.
In weighing different rate scenarios, the committee recommended the $2.50 plan. “It’s not an excessive increase,” Commissioner Richard Lewis said during the discussion, noting the rising cost of fuel and tires for vehicles as well as fish food.
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Resident annual licenses would increase to $23.50 from $21, and the trout stamp would now cost $10.50 from $8.
Non-residents would pay $4 more for an annual license of $51.
Senior residents wanting a lifetime license would see a 50% increase from $50 to $75.
The full board will now consider the new rate structure at a special meeting at a date to be determined.
The agency estimates the increases will generate $2.65 million. The proposal also notes the rate changes might lead to a 3.97% loss in customers. In 2021, the agency sold 684,330 resident licenses, 500,305 trout permits and 85, 214 Lake Erie/Trout combination permits.
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In addition to fishing license increases, the committee also wants the board to consider increasing other permits and licenses.
One of the fees involves boat title transfers. The rate has been $15 since 1996 and the proposal is to raise it to $58. That is similar to the cost of transferring the title of a vehicle. The agency has issued 45,104. The two-year boat registration fee is scheduled to stay the same.
Most of the other permits being increased involve less than 1,000 users. For example, the resident commercial fishing license is anticipated to increase to $100 from $80, and only nine licenses have been issued.
Historically, changes in license fees were made by the state legislature. However, the fees for a few years can be set by the PFBC.
“When Act 56 of 2020 was passed, the legislature delegated the authority to set fees for the agency to you, to the board of commissioners with a sunset date; that authority expires in July 2025,” Tim Schaeffer, executive director, told the committee. “We will be judicious with the authority. Only raise fees when we need to, and do so in a way that would be incremental and not dissuade people from buying their license.”
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If the full board votes to approve the new rates, there would be a public hearing, and the board would have a final rule-making vote. Schaeffer said the proposal would then go to the general assembly. He said they don’t need to act on it, but they do have the power to decline it.
The PFBC is primarily funded by fishing licenses, boating fees and federal excise taxes on fishing and boating equipment, and motor boat fuel. “The lion’s share of our revenues come from fishing licenses,” he said.
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on your website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on social media @whipkeyoutdoors.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: PA fishing license cost may increase in 2023
