Proposed Changes to List of Class A Wild Trout Waters [42 Pa.B. 739]
[Saturday, February 4, 2012]The Fish and Boat Commission (Commission) is considering changes to its list of Class A Wild Trout Streams. Under 58 Pa. Code § 57.8a (relating to Class A wild trout streams), it is the Commission's policy to manage self-sustaining Class A wild trout populations as a renewable natural resource to conserve that resource and the angling it provides. Class A wild trout populations represent the best of this Commonwealth's naturally reproducing trout fisheries. The Commission manages these stream sections solely for the perpetuation of the wild trout fishery with no stocking.
Criteria developed for Class A Wild Trout fisheries are species specific. Wild Trout Abundance Class Criteria include provisions for:
(i) Wild Brook Trout Fisheries
(A) Total brook trout biomass of at least 30 kg/ha (26.7 lbs/acre).
(B) Total biomass of brook trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(C) Brook trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of the total trout biomass.
(ii) Wild Brown Trout Fisheries
(A) Total brown trout biomass of at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre).
(B) Total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(C) Brown trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of the total trout biomass.
(iii) Mixed Wild Brook and Brown Trout Fisheries
(A) Combined brook and brown trout biomass of at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre).
(B) Total biomass of brook trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(C) Total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(D) Brook trout biomass must comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(E) Brown trout biomass must comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(iv) Wild Rainbow Trout Fisheries
Total biomass of rainbow trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 2.0 kg/ha (1.78 lbs/acre).
For a water to be removed from the Class A Wild Trout Streams designation, total trout biomass must be documented as follows the set criteria for two consecutive stream examinations.
During recent surveys, Commission staff documented the following stream sections to have Class A wild trout populations. The Commission intends to consider adding these waters to its list of Class A Wild Trout Streams at its meeting on April 11 and 12, 2012.
County Stream Section Limits
Brook Trout (kg/ha) Brown Trout (kg/ha) Length (miles) Survey
YearCentre Spring Creek 06 High Street Bridge downstream
to mouth— 255 2.50 2010 Clinton Long Run 01 Confluence with Pepper and Washburn Run to split channel near junction of RT 477 and T 364 37.58 29.15 40.49 45.22 3.24 2010
2011Clinton Rauchtown Creek 02 SR 880 Bridge 100 meters (109 yards) upstream of Gotshall
Run to Groupe Road (SR 2010) Bridge13.84 10.85 58.11 50.52 1.86 2011
2010
With respect to Spring Creek, Centre County, the Commission recently approved opening a 350-meter section of the stream in Bellefonte to public angling that had previously been closed to fishing as an exhibition area. Currently, Section 06 of Spring Creek extends from Lamb Street Bridge downstream to the mouth. This is immediately downstream of the area previously closed to fishing. Section 06 is managed under 58 Pa. Code § 65.15 (relating to catch and release all-tackle areas), and it is also a Class A stream section. Consistent with the change in the area open to public fishing, the Commission proposes extending the upstream limit of Section 06, 350 meters from the Lamb Street Bridge to the High Street Bridge. A 2010 fishery survey in Section 06 at a site located 0.5 mile downstream of the proposed extension contained an estimated wild brown trout biomass of 255 kg/ha, which is far above the Class A biomass criteria for wild brown trout as previously defined.
The Commission historically has stocked Long Run and Rauchtown Creek with adult trout. However, as a result of the surveys documenting Class A populations, the Commission recently removed them from its list of approved trout waters consistent with the policy in 58 Pa. Code § 57.8a of managing these stream sections solely for the perpetuation of the wild trout fishery with no stocking.
Persons with comments, objections or suggestions concerning the additions are invited to submit comments in writing to Executive Director, Fish and Boat Commission, P. O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000, within 30 days after publication of this notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Comments also may be submitted electronically by completing the form at www.fishandboat.com/regcomments. If an acknowledgment of electronic comments is not received by the sender within 2 working days, the comments should be retransmitted to ensure receipt. Electronic comments submitted in any other manner will not be accepted.
JOHN A. ARWAY,
Executive Director[Pa.B. Doc. No. 12-206. Filed for public inspection February 3, 2012, 9:00 a.m.]
