At the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, committee member Nate Walters brought up a discussion regarding the Strategic Plan for Management of Trout Fisheries in Pennsylvania for 2025-29.

The presentation was given by committee member Nate Walters.

A Trout Plan workgroup was formed in 2023 and over the next year they collaborated with other bureaus to prepare the initial draft. The staff presented an overview of the draft plan at the October Fisheries and Hatcheries Committee meeting and the plan was posted on the PFBC website to accept public feedback for 30 days.

The draft plan was listed from Oct. 4 to Nov. 2 and received feedback from 46 individuals and/or organizations.

The feedback on the special regulations were for support for increased special regulations; implement special regulations that specifically protect wild brook trout; a need to simplify regulations and to increase minimum size limit and reduce creel limit for wild trout.

“There are other management plans, but this one gets a lot more attention by the public and we really appreciate all the attention you’ve put into it,” PFBC commissioner Dan Pastore said.

The public also gave feedback regarding the stocking program. There was support for better optimizing the use of stocked trout; to discontinue stocking over wild trout populations, particularly Class A and Class B wild trout populations; and a need to optimize the steelhead stocking program.

Feedback was given by the public on wild trout management and protection which included to prioritize the management of wild brook trout over other species; prioritize adding larger interconnected wild brook trout strongholds to the Wilderness Trout Streams program; prioritize protecting wild trout streams during the implementation of the plan over recreation; and support to continue collecting data to ensure wild trout streams are properly protected.

Additionally, public feedback was given regarding habitat projects and property easements. That included support monitoring the species of trout utilizing habitat structures; support for additional training opportunities and increasing capacity among partners to advance stream habitat projects; and to increase access in Erie County to provide additional steelhead fishing opportunities.

The workgroup also received feedback regarding a need to provide more context and data that is being used to inform the objectives and strategies and noted the plan should not include non-native species.

“After receiving that feedback, staff worked to finalize a plan in December,” Walters noted.

The final plan included management of Pennsylvania’s wild and stocked trout resources, including 34 objectives and 65 strategies.

The Trout Plan will be posted on the PFBC website in January and internal workgroups will continue to be formed to address plan strategies according to Walters. It will also be evaluated annually.

Walters’ presentation to the Board of Commissioners was opened to discussion.

One issue brought up was to see what other states are doing to further protect the brook trout in Pennsylvania and how the plan addresses it. The plan focuses a lot on brook trout, however, as the committee pointed out that a lot of the habitat particularly focuses on brook trout.

PFCB commissioner Donald K. Anderson asked whether a good look was going to be made with wild trout waters in the coming year to see what impacts have been had with both severe flooding and severe droughts in 2024.