Voice your support to add streams to Class A designation

[NewSal]

Voice your support before the 20th to the PFBC to add proposed streams to class A designation.

Some info on the topic:
https://troutbitten.com/2017/03/16/add-146-pa-streams-class-wild-trout-wild-trout-streams-lists/


Click here to voice support:
http://pfbc.pa.gov/RegComments/

 

[JackM]

Nice! I wonder why PFBC and TU don't publish results of surveys whether they confirm Class A status or not?

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I believe that the confirmation surveys have to be done by PFBC staff. Also, even though the streams classify as class A they may be really small streams that do not hold many fish over the 5-6in mark. Many of these streams also may be predominantly on private property. There are definitely reasons to not list the results from every stream that is surveyed.

 

[troutbert]

These surveys are conducted by, and the results published by, the PFBC.

Not TU.

 

[JackM]

TU claimed to have been "in on" a number of the surveys.

 

[troutbert]

The PFBC does publish the streams found to support wild trout even if they are not Class A.

http://www.fishandboat.com/Regulations/Pages/ProposedRecentRegulations.aspx

Here you will find the recent proposed wild trout streams, and the much smaller subset of streams that are also proposed for Class A status.

They do not publish a list of streams surveyed where no wild trout were found. Would there be a lot of interest in that?

One drawback of that would be that a survey of a stream where no wild trout were found might be construed as meaning that the stream supports no wild trout.

And there would be many cases where that would not be true. Because they could survey 300 meters at one location and find no wild trout, but wild trout could be present in another part of the creek.

But maybe they should publish all their studies on their website? That would be "open records" in the modern era.

 

[JackM]

Yes. PFBC and DEP and all other agencies should publish results of studies and make them easier to find.

 

[troutbert]

JackM wrote:
Yes. PFBC and DEP and all other agencies should publish results of studies and make them easier to find.

Agreed.

 

[afishinado]

I too would like to see more published info on surveys.

Here are the most current lists of wild trout streams along with a Google map of all surveyed wild trout streams:

Natural Reproduction Wild Trout

Map of PA Natural Reproduction Wild Trout

Class A Wild Trout

County Guide Map Choose Class A Streams Option

 

[troutbert]

JackM wrote:
TU claimed to have been "in on" a number of the surveys.

Got links?

I don't know of any TU chapters doing these surveys. If any have been, it would be of interest. Please post em up.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:

JackM wrote:
TU claimed to have been "in on" a number of the surveys.

Got links?

I don't know of any TU chapters doing these surveys. If any have been, it would be of interest. Please post em up.

I Googled it:

TU has been participating in the state’s Unassessed Waters Initiative since 2011. TU and other partners in the initiative have sent teams afield to look for wild trout, sampling thousands of small streams. TU teams have sampled more than 600 streams.

Of the 99 streams approved during this most recent round of consideration, TU teams identified 13 that held populations of wild trout.

By partnering with the FBC, Trout Unlimited is providing critical assistance to the agency as it works to effectively manage the state’s vast water resources for stream health and recreational opportunities.

Trout unlimited interns Jacob Fetterman, Olivia Magni and Kat Midas electroshock a small Pennsylvania stream in search of wild trout this summer.

Trout Unlimited’s Unassessed Waters Initiative team, led by Kathleen Lavelle, was in the field again this summer, wading small streams with backpack electroshocking units and nets to scoop up temporarily stunned trout.

The crew surveyed 116 streams, focusing their efforts on streams in the West Branch Susquehanna watershed, as well is in the Delaware River watershed.

The group found trout in 40 percent of the streams in the Delaware, and most of those were wild brown trout. In the West Branch watershed, 30 percent of the streams held trout, mostly wild brook trout.

Lavelle said that about 15 percent of the streams in the West Branch were found to be impaired due to abandoned mine drainage.

TU will now pass this summer’s field survey information on to the PFBC, which ultimately may add those waters to the growing wild trout list.

Link to source: http://www.tu.org/blog-posts/pa-adds-more-streams-to-wild-trout-list-thanks-in-part-to-tu-efforts

 

[lycoflyfisher]

The TU office in Lock Haven has been involved with unassessed waters surveys, but like other partners if they find a class A stream it has to be confirmed by a PFBC survey and go through the approval process before it can officially be listed as a Class A stream.

 

[JackM]

'bert it was in the link Sal provided.

 

[JackM]

Electro-fishing stops the trouts and other fishes hearts temporarily. Gladly they recover from cardiac arrest better than humanoids.

 

[troutbert]

afishinado wrote:

troutbert wrote:

JackM wrote:
TU claimed to have been "in on" a number of the surveys.

Got links?

I don't know of any TU chapters doing these surveys. If any have been, it would be of interest. Please post em up.

I Googled it:

TU has been participating in the state’s Unassessed Waters Initiative since 2011. TU and other partners in the initiative have sent teams afield to look for wild trout, sampling thousands of small streams. TU teams have sampled more than 600 streams.

Of the 99 streams approved during this most recent round of consideration, TU teams identified 13 that held populations of wild trout.

By partnering with the FBC, Trout Unlimited is providing critical assistance to the agency as it works to effectively manage the state’s vast water resources for stream health and recreational opportunities.

Trout unlimited interns Jacob Fetterman, Olivia Magni and Kat Midas electroshock a small Pennsylvania stream in search of wild trout this summer.

Trout Unlimited’s Unassessed Waters Initiative team, led by Kathleen Lavelle, was in the field again this summer, wading small streams with backpack electroshocking units and nets to scoop up temporarily stunned trout.

The crew surveyed 116 streams, focusing their efforts on streams in the West Branch Susquehanna watershed, as well is in the Delaware River watershed.

The group found trout in 40 percent of the streams in the Delaware, and most of those were wild brown trout. In the West Branch watershed, 30 percent of the streams held trout, mostly wild brook trout.

Lavelle said that about 15 percent of the streams in the West Branch were found to be impaired due to abandoned mine drainage.

TU will now pass this summer’s field survey information on to the PFBC, which ultimately may add those waters to the growing wild trout list.

Link to source: http://www.tu.org/blog-posts/pa-adds-more-streams-to-wild-trout-list-thanks-in-part-to-tu-efforts

Cool!

 

[jifigz]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
I believe that the confirmation surveys have to be done by PFBC staff. Also, even though the streams classify as class A they may be really small streams that do not hold many fish over the 5-6in mark. Many of these streams also may be predominantly on private property. There are definitely reasons to not list the results from every stream that is surveyed.

I think it is totally irrelevant what size the fish are and whether they are on private property or not. If the streams meet the Class A biomass then they should be listed as Class A. Being listed as Class A can do no harm and the more protected water regulations are always a good thing. After all I love exploring small streams.

 

[afishinado]

TU chapters do an awful lot to conserve, enhance and identify wild trout streams in PA and everywhere they flow.

Join TU Now!

 

[afishinado]

jifigz wrote:

lycoflyfisher wrote:
I believe that the confirmation surveys have to be done by PFBC staff. Also, even though the streams classify as class A they may be really small streams that do not hold many fish over the 5-6in mark. Many of these streams also may be predominantly on private property. There are definitely reasons to not list the results from every stream that is surveyed.

I think it is totally irrelevant what size the fish are and whether they are on private property or not. If the streams meet the Class A biomass then they should be listed as Class A. Being listed as Class A can do no harm and the more protected water regulations are always a good thing. After all I love exploring small streams.

Every approved Class A trout stream is listed in my link above. There is no secret list of Class A streams held back by the PFBC.

I will say the FBC has dragged their feet on surveying some streams or stream sections because they are popular stocked fishing spots.

But ironically, the change in policy, where with approval by the Commissioners, the FBC can continue to stock a Class A's. This shift in policy has probably opened more streams up to surveys.

The Class A designation automatically bumps up the DEP designation and mandates higher protection of the stream.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

I'm not saying the streams can't be listed as class A, I am saying that there are reasons to not list the actual survey results such as number of trout in each size class present in a stream, especially the really small streams.

 

[afishinado]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
I'm not saying the streams can't be listed as class A, I am saying that there are reasons to not list the actual survey results such as number of trout in each size class present in a stream, especially the really small streams.

^I see your point.