Hatchery Closings Decision Reversed

[melody]

From Rep. Martin Causer:

Good news! The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission today reversed its earlier decision to close two of its trout hatcheries, including one in Oswayo, Potter County. The closings would have resulted in decreased stocking in area waterways, and that would have had a devastating impact on local fishing opportunities and the local economy. The commission announced its plan in late January, stating that the closures would save the agency approximately $2 million. I believe the closures would have done more harm than good, and I look forward to working with the commission to find other cost-saving alternatives while continuing to provide quality services to our boaters and anglers.

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners reverse themselves on closure of two trout hatcheries

blog.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2013/03/pennsylvania_fish_and_boat_commissioners_reverse_themselves_on_closure_of_two_trout_hatcheries.html#incart_river_default

By Marcus Schneck | [e-mail]
March 22, 2013

In a seven-minute meeting Friday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Board of Fish and Boat Commissioners reversed itself on the planned closure of two of its 14 trout hatcheries, an action the board had approved in late January.

Rather than winding down operations at the Oswayo hatchery in Coudesport, Potter County, and the Bellefonte hatchery in Centre County to close the facilities by the end of 2014, commissioners have now decided to continue funding for the two hatcheries through July 2015.

Commissioners, all participating by conference call except for commission President Steven Ketterer, who was present at commission headquarters in Harrisburg, voted unanimously for the delaying action.

Ketterer explained, "We received some calls from legislators, saying, "Let's sit down and talk. Let's see if we can help you out."

Commission Executive Director John Arway said at the July meeting that closing the two hatcheries would save $2 million per year, part of an overall saving of $9 million over the next four years, $6.7 million of which will be needed for employee health care and retirement benefits.

He also noted, the commission would not enroll a new class in its waterways conservation officer school.

Ketterer would not name any specific legislators or committments from legislators.

He said, "There are some programs out there we've suggested to them, and they have some programs they're looking at."

[Deleted]

Great!

[Bill]

Wow! To say I'm surprised is an understatement.

[Dutch]

Hey, maybe if the PGC promises Causer to cut doe season in units 3A and 2G, his district, they would get ""Let's sit down and talk. Let's see if we can help you out."

[Deleted]

Do you think "pursing other funding" by the PFBC means they are gambling on being combined with the PGC?

[Deleted]

It means the naive commissioners think the politicians will find them new funding revenues since they (commissioners) gave in to the legislators demands.

[Dutch]

Arway is going to balance his budget, somehow. He said that yeaterday at the convention and said it again at dinner at our table. So, I think the legislators know he means business and now it's in their court to decide what to do.

[Deleted]

I wonder if they are going to increase the license cost and accept a certain amount of loss? I've purchased a 5 year license... so I've committed to them. After thinking about it, and reading about how these multi-year licenses may hurt local business in some ways, I think they might be a double-edge sword.

[rober]

Oswayo is right down the road from my camp, and it is always nice to take people on tours thru the hathcery. The guys that work at this hatchery are some of the nicest guys, always available to answer questions and be a "tour guide" if needed. I am glad they will be working there for a little more time. The land around the hatchery is great hunting. They plant corn, alfalfa and even other plots to help the animals. Well they dont plant it but they lease the ground out to a farmer and he is also required to leave some after the harvest To me this is a win-win. Maybe this year I will buy a fishing liscence!

[Dutch]

Here is an instance, where an agency, that wants to slim down, can't due to the legislature dictating policy.

The Department of Defense can't close down programs that they don't want because congressman insist they keep the programs because they know it means jobs at home.

[melody]

And the US Postal Service can't cut back on Saturday deliveries because Congress won't let them.

[Dutch]

Mar 25, 2013 18:14:15 GMT -5 melody said:

And the US Postal Service can't cut back on Saturday deliveries because Congress won't let them.

Yep, and it makes all the sense in the world.

[galthatfishes]

Close it on Wendnesday. Then you have 2 days of delivery, one day off, three days of delivery, one day off.

Oops, I changed my mind. Make their day off on THURSDAYS.

Doctors are off on Wednesday.

[deadon4]

Been talking with my local House Rep, there may be an increase in the general fishing license and an increase in the Trout Stamp to keep these 2 hatcheries open. Haven't got a sense from him yet how combining the PGC and the PFBC stands with the Legislature

[Deleted]

I guess it's a battle between getting / keeping warm bodies in the fishing sports and paying for what it takes to take care of our bodies of water and fisheries. I guess I'd take a little loss of numbers of participants to have quality fishing...?

Why can't these fisheries be part of the state university system? Learning labs so to speak? Get grants?

[galthatfishes]

Grant funding is just not out there (in quantity) even for things we need cl. Philanthropy seems to be a thing of the past.