FISH AND BOAT COMMISSION Proposed Change to List of Class A Wild Trout Waters; Cross Fork, Potter County [35 Pa.B. 3477] The Fish and Boat Commission (Commission) is considering a change 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.
At its meetings on July 18 and 19, 2005, the Commission intends to consider removing the following water from the current list of Class A Wild Trout Streams: Cross Fork, Section 03, Potter County, which extends for a distance of 5.4 miles from the confluence with Rhulo Hollow downstream to 440 yards downstream of the T-416 Bridge. This section of stream was determined to be a Class A wild brown trout water by Commission staff based on a trout population survey in 1981. In September 1999, the Commission formally designated the existing list of Class A Wild Trout Waters, including Cross Fork, Section 03.
According to 58 Pa. Code 57.8a, a stream must meet the following criteria to be classified as a Class A wild brown trout water: (1) total brown trout biomass must be at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre); (2) total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length must be at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre); and (3) brown trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of the total trout biomass. For a water to be removed from the Class A Wild Trout Streams designation, total trout biomass must be documented below the set criteria for two consecutive stream examinations.
Commission staff conducted time series monitoring of the trout population within Cross Fork, Section 03, on an annual basis from 1996 to 2003. Overall, the trout failed to meet the minimum biomass criteria for Class A Wild Trout Waters during each of these surveys. Although this section was identified in the past as a Class A Wild Trout Water, eight consecutive surveys have confirmed that the section now supports a Class B wild trout biomass. Accordingly, the Commission proposes that Cross Fork, Section 03, be removed from the list of Class A Wild Trout Streams. This change will allow for stocking to occur at a low rate and encourage more angling activity on the stream.
Persons with comments, objections or suggestions concerning the removal 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 submitted by facsimile will not be accepted.
Comments also may be submitted electronically by completing the form at www.state.pa.us/fish/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.
DOUGLAS J. AUSTEN, Ph.D.,
Executive Director[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-1190. Filed for public inspection June 17, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]
