On May 24, the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted a policy briefing on Senate Bills 1166 and 1168, legislation that would provide the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) the authority to establish license and permit fees. Approximately 20 members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus attended the briefing as well as representatives from the National Marine Manufacturers Association, Pheasants Forever, Directors and staff from the PGC and PFBC, and Governor Wolf’s Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation Advisor Robb Miller.
Miller commented on the importance of Pennsylvania’s conservation funding. “This policy briefing underscored the importance of conservation funding in Pennsylvania and provided an overview of two forward looking bills (S.B. 1166 and S.B. 1168) that, if enacted, could provide a stable and consistent funding stream for both the PA Game Commission and the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Our hunters and anglers deserve no less.”
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?
