Walleyes like these are sought by anglers, legally and otherwise.
Photo by PA Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners routinely vote to revoke the fishing and boating privileges of lawbreakers.
This was unusual, though.
Typically, the board is dealing with people who have tried to keep more than their limit of fish. Those caught snagging or netting steelhead from Lake Erie streams is a common example.
Waterways conservation officers cite the lawbreakers, an internal committee recommends punishment and the board makes the final decision.
In this case, commissioners were asked to revoke the license privileges for a man caught killing walleyes with a spear while snorkeling on Pine Creek in Lycoming County. He had two fish in his possession, a 20-inch fish estimated at 14 years old and another 31 inches and 11 years old.
Spear fishing has its fans, but is only legal in certain locales and for certain species.
“He knew what he was doing. He’s an expert,” said commissioner Eric Hussar of Union County. “He’s been doing this a long time.”
Spear fishing is illegal in Pennsylvania outside of Lake Erie. Even then the only species that can be taken by scuba divers are burbot harvested at a depth of at least 60 feet.
There are other problems out there, too. Sometimes, it’s not anglers that are causing the trouble, but others.
Waterways conservation officer Jeff Giardina was patrolling Shenango Lake in Mercer County recently when he found a clear plastic bottle lying on the ground at the Golden Run access parking lot.
It had a white hose extending out of the cap and a white substance in its bottom. He later confirmed that bottle was garbage from a methamphetamine lab operation. Someone was making the drug in the parking lot.
Panthers
Are they really doing that well or is the count just that much more accurate?
Either way, Florida seems to have more panthers than it once did.
Photo by Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have increased their estimate of the number of panthers living within the state. Now they think it’s somewhere between 1120 and 230.
That’s 50 more than previously thought. The population was last estimated in 2014.
“The bottom line is we’re having a lot of conservation success and the population has really grown pretty steadily since 1995, so it’s a good news story,” Kipp Frohlich, Florida’s chief of habitat and species conservation, told the Miami Herald.
The population estimate is based on a number of survey techniques, including extrapolating road kills and reviewing trail cam images, tracks, radio collar pings and other information.
You can check out the full story here.
Licenses
Anglers can now buy an even longer-term fishing license in Pennsylvania.
The Fish and Boat Commission is selling a license good for 10 years. It costs $211.90, which includes a one-time fee of $1.90 and savings of more than $17. Anglers can also purchase 10-year trout, Lake Erie and combo permits and experience similar savings.
Multi-year licenses have been around since 2013. The 10-year license option is brand new this year, however.
Grants
Got an organized high school fishing team?
If so, help keeping those guys and girls stocked with gear is available.
Fishing tackle manufacturer Lew’s has created its Mach Product Grant program “designed to provide product support to organized high school fishing efforts throughout the United States.”
Administered by the Future Fisherman Foundation, its awards Mach rod and reel combos to high school clubs.
Any U.S. high school fishing club or team is eligible to apply. Product awards can be used for a variety of purposes, including fundraisers, angler loaner programs and event prizes. Applications are due by Sept. 30, though the program can close earlier if the money’s all gone.
Details can be found at Futurefisherman.org.
#WomenHunt
The Sportsmen’s Alliance and Girls with Guns Clothing recently launched a campaign aimed at women hunters.
Known as #WomenHunt, the campaign is intended to promote their participation in the outdoors. Women hunters will be encouraged to submit and post videos, blogs, news and more on social media.
Information will be shared via the Sportsmen’s Alliance, Women’s Outdoor News and Girls with Guns. All messages will use the hashtags #WomenHunt, #PromoteYourPassion, #ProtectYourPassion and #IAmTheAlliance.
