| The calendar may say otherwise, but
for anglers the New Year is just days away. That's because 2007
Pennsylvania Fishing Licenses go on sale December 1. Not only are the
2007 licenses available in December, they're also valid immediately at
the time of purchase. In essence, buying a Pennsylvania fishing license
in December is like getting an extra month at no additional fee.
It's easy to take advantage of this "baker's dozen" of months of
fishing fun. To purchase a license from the convenience of your own
home, simply fish the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) web
site at www.fishandboat.com and click on the yellow link marked “Get
Your Fishing License.” You can then complete your transaction online
and print out a valid license on a home printer. For those who need to
pick up some new gear to go with their license, visit one of more than
1,300 fishing license issuing agents statewide. Issuing agents include
bait and tackle shops and the sporting goods departments of many major
department stores. Many county treasurers’ offices also carry fishing
licenses. A
complete list of issuing agents is posted on the PFBC site.
Don't worry if you haven't fished for a few years and don't remember
every rule. Issuing agents hand out a free
Summary of Pennsylvania Fishing Regulations and Laws with each
license purchased. This same information is available online. A few
things to know up front: a valid Pennsylvania license is required for
anglers 16 years of age and older. Additional permits may also be
required, such as a trout/salmon stamp for those fishing for trout or a
Lake Erie permit for anglers fishing in Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay or
their tributaries. A combination Lake Erie/Trout Stamp is also available
at a discounted price as compared to purchasing the two permits
separately.
“At pennies a day, it’s hard to beat an annual fishing license. Of
course the real value of a Pennsylvania fishing license is the full
year's worth of fun with friends and family on some of the best fishing
waters around,” said PFBC Executive Director Doug Austen. “With more
than 83,000 miles of rivers and streams and some 4,000 lakes and ponds
across the state - not to mention 470,000 acres of Lake Erie - there are
great fishing opportunities close by for everyone.”
One-day, three-day and seven-day licenses represent an equal value
for the angler seeking to fish for a limited time.
License types and fees for 2007 are the same low cost as the past two
years:
| Type of License |
Age |
Cost |
Agent Fee |
Total |
| Resident |
16 - 64 |
$21.00 |
$1.00 |
$22.00 |
| Senior Resident |
65 & up |
10.00 |
1.00 |
11.00 |
| Senior Resident - Lifetime |
65 & up |
50.00 |
1.00 |
51.00 |
| National Guard & Armed Forces Reserve (resident) |
16 & up |
1.00 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
| 1-day Resident (not valid April 1-30) |
16 & up |
10.00 |
1.00 |
11.00 |
| Non-resident |
16 & up |
51.00 |
1.00 |
52.00 |
| 7-day Tourist |
16 & up |
33.00 |
1.00 |
34.00 |
| 3-day Tourist |
16 & up |
25.00 |
1.00 |
26.00 |
| 1-day Tourist (includes all stamps, license not
valid in April) |
16 & up |
25.00 |
1.00 |
26.00 |
| Trout/Salmon Stamp |
16 & up |
8.00 |
1.00 |
9.00 |
| Lake Erie Permit |
16 & up |
8.00 |
1.00 |
9.00 |
| Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit |
16 & up |
14.00 |
1.00 |
15.00 |
One thing that won’t be available December 1 is a new on-demand
license issuing system currently being developed for the sale of
Pennsylvania fishing and hunting licenses. The vendor developing the
system, which will move the license-buying process into the
technological age, is still working on the electronic backbone required
to make the system work seamlessly.
“The Pennsylvania Automated Licensing Service will be a great step
forward when it is activated. Because the system will simplify the
license purchasing process for anglers and agents and provide the
Commission with better tools to understand our customers, we’re very
anxious for it to be implemented. However, we will not authorize it to
go live until we are completely satisfied that it will provide the best
benefits for everybody,” Austen said.
The PFBC expects that the vendor developing the system will be ready
for the peak license sales period in late winter/early spring. Until
that time, the traditional paper-based licenses will continue to be
issued.
More than just a permit to fish, a fishing license is a direct
investment in Pennsylvania's aquatic resources. Unlike most state
agencies, the PFBC receives no General Fund tax dollars to operate its
programs. Instead, the PFBC relies on revenues from the sale of fishing
licenses and boat registrations to provide fisheries management,
stocking, habitat improvement and law enforcement for the anglers and
boaters of the Commonwealth. |
