Pennsylvania legislators kicked off the 2017 legislative session by re-introducing two bills to provide sustainable conservation funding for the state’s fish and wildlife commissions – Senate Bills 30 and 192. This legislation would provide the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) the authority to establish license and permit fees. Both bills have unanimously (10-0) passed out of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee and have been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The ability to price hunting and fishing licenses at an appropriate amount and to properly adjust for changing economic conditions is critical to the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and their habitat. In recent years, political roadblocks have, unfortunately, hindered the ability of hunting and fishing license fees to keep pace with inflation – hunting licenses fees have remained the same price since 1999, and fishing licenses since 2005. Beyond ensuring that license fees keep pace with changing economic conditions, providing the state agencies the regulatory authority to adjust fees will allow them to more nimbly implement hunter and angler recruitment and retention programs to ensure that tomorrow’s funders of state-level conservation are brought into the field and onto the water.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
