Mustio: House Approves Game and Fisheries Merger Study

The House voted unanimously this week in support of a measure to launch a detailed study of the potential impacts of merging the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. 
 
House Resolution 129 calls on the non-partisan Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to study the financial feasibility, impact, costs and savings that may be realized by combining the agencies. It also calls on the LBFC to explore a range of options with regard to how to structure the state’s wildlife agency to best manage the wildlife and aquatic resources of the Commonwealth.

A similar study was conducted 10 years ago, and it showed a merger was feasible and would save money. No legislative action resulted from that study’s findings, however. The study is expected to take about six months.

Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation with separate agencies managing our fish and wildlife resources, and with both agencies struggling financially, I believe this is something we need to consider in order to preserve our long-standing traditions of hunting and fishing for future generations.

Fish-for-Free Day Coming This Memorial Day

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will hold the first of two annual Fish-for-Free Days on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27.

Fish-for-Free Days allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish without a fishing license on all of Pennsylvania’s waterways. All other fishing regulations still apply.

A second Fish-for-Free Day is scheduled for July 4. For more information about Fish-for-Free Days, click here. 

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