PFBC Voluntary Permits

[KeviR]

I went to buy my 2025 fishing license today. My last purchase was a 5 year license that just expired, so I haven't looked at the license purchase website since then.
You can now purchase several types of voluntary permits with your license.
How long has PFBC been selling these permits?
Is there any information about how much money has been raised by each of these permits? (Either annually or cumulative.)
Is there any information about what specific programs these funds have been used for or plan to be used for?
From the PFBC webpage about voluntary permits, this is the description for the Voluntary Wild Trout and Enhanced Waters Permit:
For anglers who prefer exploring Pennsylvania's remote areas and fishing for wild species, the Wild Trout and Enhanced Waters Permit will benefit wild trout. This voluntary permit will benefit wild trout fisheries, improve habitat, and maintain and enhance the existing Pennsylvania's Best Fishing Waters for wild trout.
Wild trout projects may include instream habitat work designed to improve a population from a lower biomass class to a higher biomass class, as well as fund further research needs for wild trout. Funds from this permit will not be used on trout stocking programs.
If they just started this program, I could understand that there may be no projects or programs they have funded yet, but there should be some kind of plan for how the money would/will be used. With some specifics - not just "research" or "habitat work". And in spite of considerable outside research about how stocking affects wild populations, PFBC still stocks (or allows stocking) over wild fish on a regular basis. What additional research do they propose doing?
Based on how they currently (don't really) manage for wild populations in most places, I'm not inclined to voluntarily pay extra because I don't trust they would make good use of the money. And without any real specifics, it's even harder to make that leap.
I would love for this to be at least a little island of true wild trout management in the PFBsea of hatchery money.

 

[Troy]

I went to buy my 2025 fishing license today. My last purchase was a 5 year license that just expired, so I haven't looked at the license purchase website since then.
You can now purchase several types of voluntary permits with your license.
How long has PFBC been selling these permits?
Is there any information about how much money has been raised by each of these permits? (Either annually or cumulative.)
Is there any information about what specific programs these funds have been used for or plan to be used for?
From the PFBC webpage about voluntary permits, this is the description for the Voluntary Wild Trout and Enhanced Waters Permit:
For anglers who prefer exploring Pennsylvania's remote areas and fishing for wild species, the Wild Trout and Enhanced Waters Permit will benefit wild trout. This voluntary permit will benefit wild trout fisheries, improve habitat, and maintain and enhance the existing Pennsylvania's Best Fishing Waters for wild trout.
Wild trout projects may include instream habitat work designed to improve a population from a lower biomass class to a higher biomass class, as well as fund further research needs for wild trout. Funds from this permit will not be used on trout stocking programs.
If they just started this program, I could understand that there may be no projects or programs they have funded yet, but there should be some kind of plan for how the money would/will be used. With some specifics - not just "research" or "habitat work". And in spite of considerable outside research about how stocking affects wild populations, PFBC still stocks (or allows stocking) over wild fish on a regular basis. What additional research do they propose doing?
Based on how they currently (don't really) manage for wild populations in most places, I'm not inclined to voluntarily pay extra because I don't trust they would make good use of the money. And without any real specifics, it's even harder to make that leap.
I would love for this to be at least a little island of true wild trout management in the PFBsea of hatchery money.

They have been available for a while now. 5 years?

They do publish what projects the money has been used for. I think I saw it on here one time?

 

[Bamboozle]

Here's a little more info, at least for 2021:

https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/fishandboat/documents/fishing/buy-license/voluntarypermits-fundingfor2021.pdf

PA Environment Digest

An update on environmental issues in Pennsylvania. PA Environment Digest is a service of PA Environment News, LLC.

www.paenvironmentdigest.com

 

[KeviR]

Here's a little more info, at least for 2021:

https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/fishandboat/documents/fishing/buy-license/voluntarypermits-fundingfor2021.pdf

PA Environment Digest

An update on environmental issues in Pennsylvania. PA Environment Digest is a service of PA Environment News, LLC.

www.paenvironmentdigest.com

Thanks for the link. The links from the last time this was discussed on the forum were dead.
I did some searches on the PFBC website and didn't find this document or anything else similar. It's a pretty useless search tool.
There should really be an annual press release like the one above to summarize progress. And it should be linked from the page with info about the permits.
BTW, I bought the wild trout permit despite my misgivings.

 

[Troy]

Thanks for the link. The links from the last time this was discussed on the forum were dead.
I did some searches on the PFBC website and didn't find this document or anything else similar. It's a pretty useless search tool.
There should really be an annual press release like the one above to summarize progress. And it should be linked from the page with info about the permits.
BTW, I bought the wild trout permit despite my misgivings.

I always purchase it too since 95% of my fishing is for wild trout. Hopefully it is going to good use.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

started 2019. I have bought one each year. The first year there was some P&M on this forum because one of the projects was on Spruce creek, if I recall correctly.
In addition to funding projects, I buy because it sends a message on what I value and would like to see PFBC invest in. I would not blame PFBC for concluding wild trout is not important, except to a niche group, if response (purchase) was very poor. I am putting my $ where my mouth is.

yes, govt websites are the worse and PFBC could do a better job at advertising the projects. Perhaps they do on their Facebook page or X account?

 

[Jmac]

I like fishing in the holes the commission log structures make. I generally don’t have to worry about brush or trees and the trout put there stay there instead of straying.The only problem is they don’t come back and put more logs on or do maintenance when they break or dry rot during drought.

 

[CRB]

Usually I up my purchase with a donation of $10 for access.
This is the project deepest to my heart as I would like future generations to have an area on a stream, a lake or an access area to use into perpetuity. $10 over 10 years = $100 has not broke my bank account.

 

[Bamboozle]

Usually I up my purchase with a donation of $10 for access.
This is the project deepest to my heart as I would like future generations to have an area on a stream, a lake or an access area to use into perpetuity. $10 over 10 years = $100 has not broke my bank account.

If you make a donation for access, you should make it through the Conservation Acquisition Partnership or CAP Program which gets matching funds meaning your $10 is really $20 or more.

The access donation through HuntFishPA does not get matching funds so $10 is $10.00.

The CAP donation process is a bit clunky requiring mailing in a check and the donation form but to me, the matching funds makes it worth the hassle. I ALWAYS call first before I mail my check so I can find out who's attention it should be addressed to because a few donations got misplaced in the past.

Regardless, I have been donating to CAP for well over 20 years because like you, I believe without access there is nothing...

 

[CRB]

If you make a donation for access, you should make it through the Conservation Acquisition Partnership or CAP Program which gets matching funds meaning your $10 is really $20 or more.

The access donation through HuntFishPA does not get matching funds so $10 is $10.00.

The CAP donation process is a bit clunky requiring mailing in a check and the donation form but to me, the matching funds makes it worth the hassle. I ALWAYS call first before I mail my check so I can find out who's attention it should be addressed to because a few donations got misplaced in the past.

Regardless, I have been donating to CAP for well over 20 years because like you, I believe without access there is nothing...

Thanks for the heads up. Next year I'll do that.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

If you make a donation for access, you should make it through the Conservation Acquisition Partnership or CAP Program which gets matching funds meaning your $10 is really $20 or more.

The access donation through HuntFishPA does not get matching funds so $10 is $10.00.

The CAP donation process is a bit clunky requiring mailing in a check and the donation form but to me, the matching funds makes it worth the hassle. I ALWAYS call first before I mail my check so I can find out who's attention it should be addressed to because a few donations got misplaced in the past.

Regardless, I have been donating to CAP for well over 20 years because like you, I believe without access there is nothing...

CRB I did not find a link to the form or how to donate at the link. Can you save me a few (or hundred with the govt website) steps of finding it?

 

[Bamboozle]

CRB I did not find a link to the form or how to donate at the link. Can you save me a few (or hundred with the govt website) steps of finding it?

https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/fishandboat/documents/forms-permits/caphandout1.pdf

It's not mentioned on the form, but from experience I can tell you BEFORE making a donation, call the PFBC and get a contact name. Address the envelope to their attention because sadly, 2/3 of the PFBC staff knows nothing about the program.

I haven't yet sent my 2025 donation, but the PFBC contact I used for the last two years was Ryan who could be reached at (717) 705-7900. I don't know if he is still there or is still the contact, but calling that number and asking for Ryan is a good starting point.