Proposed Changes to List of Class A Wild Trout Waters; July 2015 [45 Pa.B. 2205]
[Saturday, May 2, 2015]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 Biomass 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).
(v) Mixed Wild Brook and Rainbow Trout Fisheries
(A) Combined brook and rainbow 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 rainbow 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 shall comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(E) Rainbow trout biomass shall comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(vi) Mixed Wild Brown and Rainbow Trout Fisheries
(A) Combined brown and rainbow 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) Total biomass of rainbow trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(D) Brown trout biomass shall comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(E) Rainbow trout biomass shall comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
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 July 13 and 14, 2015.
County Stream Section Limits Brook Trout (kg/ha) Brown Trout (kg/ha) Rainbow Trout (kg/ha) Length (miles) Survey Year Bedford Bear Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 49.00 — — 0.77 2012 Blair Loup Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 27.98 27.01 — 3.87 2014 Cameron Little Dent Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 43.46 — — 2.24 2013 Carbon Bull Run 02 T-360 Bridge (Hemlock Street) to Mouth — 84.00 — 1.92 2013 Carbon Robertson Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 53.06 0.43 — 2.54 2012 Centre Holt Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth — 43.88 — 3.90 2013 Centre Kettle Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 54.68 16.30 — 1.89 2013 Centre Laurel Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 1.85 51.68 — 4.21 2013 Centre Vonada Gap Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 11.83 42.57 — 2.24 2013 Clearfield Beaver Run 01 Headwaters to
Goss Run— 78.54 — 4.57 2014 Clearfield Saunders Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 49.15 — — 3.24 2013 Clinton Fishing Creek 15 SR 2015 Bridge in Mill Hall to Mouth 0.27 116.94 0.82 0.66 2013 Crawford UNT to Marsh Run (RM 0.56) 01 Headwaters to Mouth 39.05 — — 3.04 2013 Cumberland Big Spring Creek 05 SR 641 Bridge
to Mouth— 52.86 — 1.27 2014 Fayette Lick Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 31.91 0.45 — 2.59 2013 Huntingdon UNT to Frankstown Branch Juniata River (RM 6.7) 02 UNT to UNT to Frankstown Branch Juniata River to Mouth — 197.17 0.24 1.26 2013 Lehigh Little Cedar Creek 02 Spring seeps located 70 meters upstream SR 1002 (West Tilgman Street) Bridge to Mouth — 72.58 — 1.10 2012 Northampton UNT to Lehigh Canal (RM 2.18) 01 Headwaters to Mouth — 53.02 — 1.24 2012 Northampton UNT to Lehigh River (RM 3.45) 02 I-78 to Mouth — 79.60 — 0.26 2012 Perry Perry Furnace Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 1.54 135.16 — 3.95 2013 Schuylkill Rabbit Run 01 Headwaters to Inflow of Rabbit Run Reservoir 36.13 — — 1.52 2012 Schuylkill Rabbit Run 02 Outflow of Rabbit Run Reservoir to Mouth 35.40 3.38 — 1.25 2012 Schuylkill UNT to Little Schuylkill River (RM 3.2 SGL Above SR 61) 1 Headwaters to Mouth 244.19 0.31 — 1.29 2012 Somerset Ansell Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 30.09 — — 0.97 2013 Somerset UNT to Stonycreek River (RM 20.29) 01 Headwaters to Mouth 44.66 0.90 — 1.98 2013 Susquehanna Brace Brook 01 Headwaters to Inflow of Brace Brook Reservoir 48.19 — — 1.47 2013 Susquehanna Brace Brook 02 Outflow of Brace Brook Reservoir
to Mouth53.22 — — 1.30 2013 Tioga Painter Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 36.08 — — 2.73 2004 Persons with comments, objections or suggestions concerning the additions are invited to submit comments in writing to the 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. 15-831. Filed for public inspection May 1, 2015, 9:00 a.m.]
