HARRISBURG, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from May 16, before the price change was certified.
Update, May 17: The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission today announced that its Board of Commissioners gave final approval to a list of proposed fishing license fee adjustments beginning in 2024.
The price of the most common fishing licenses and permits, a Resident Annual Fishing License, Trout Permit and Combination Trout/Lake Erie Permit, will increase by $2.50 each when 2024 licenses go on sale beginning on Dec. 1.
Separate adjustments will be applied to other license and permit categories for non-residents, seniors and tourists.
The PFBC says revenues from these fee adjustments are expected to generate an estimated $2.4 to $2.9 million annually for the organization's Fish Fund to support fishing related programs.
Previously: Following fishing license fee increases at the start of Pennsylvania's 2023 fishing season, the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission might do it again.
Executive Director Tim Schaeffer says the fee increases would help maintain services and expand programs.
"Our agency receives no general fund revenue," Shaeffer explained. "We rely on angler and boater dollars, fishing licenses, boat registrations. We reinvest those dollars on behalf of the anglers and boaters."
The annual fishing license fee for a resident would go up from $23.50 to $26.00, while out-of-state anglers would pay $59 -- a $4 dollar jump.
A lifetime license for seniors would cost $10 more -- increasing to $85 dollars.
The hook -- an estimated $2.9 million for the fish fund that would help the commission keep up with increasing costs.
"We're really making historic investments in the agency," Schaeffer said. "New boats for our law enforcement staff that haven't been replaced in 30 or 40 years, we're still stocking trout leading up to Memorial Day, our hatchery fleet of nearly 50 of those really large hatchery trucks, those things are not cheap."
Schaeffer claims public feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, saying anglers understand the moderate increases.
Abbottstown resident Jeff Shetron isn't one of them.
"The increase is definitely bad news, it will be bad news for all fishermen," he said.
Shetron said he's been disappointed by the size and number of fish in Pennsylvania's lakes and streams and he blames the Pa. Fish and Boat Commission.
"When they stock it before season and a couple times after the season, that's not much," Shetron said. "For the amount of fish that they claim that they put in, hundreds of thousands of fish, where at they at? Don't know."
Ten Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioners vote on the proposal Wednesday morning at 8 a.m.
Schaeffer said that he expects it to pass.
The complete list of proposed license and permit changes:
Resident Annual: $23.50 to $26.00
Non-resident Annual: $55.00 to $59.00
Senior Resident Annual: $11.25 to $12.50
Senior Resident Lifetime: $75.00 to $85.00
3-Day Tourist: $27.50 to $30.00
7-Day Tourist: $35.00 to $37.50
1-Day Resident: $11.25 to $12.50
1-Day Tourist: $27.50 to $30.00
Trout Permit: $10.50 to $13.00
Trout/Lake Erie Permit: $16.50 to $19.00