Public feedback offered at a public hearing this week unanimously supported the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s decision to raise fees for fishing and boating licenses.

The cost of a fishing license hasn’t been increased in 17 years and many of the boating fees submitted for increases have not been raised since the 1980s or 1990s. PFBC Executive Director Tim Schaeffer said the increases are part of a process established by Act 56.

“The purpose was to grant authority to the agency to set our own fees,” he said. “We have not done so for about 17 years.”

Schaeffer said they intend to “establish incremental increases over time to minimize the impact on license sales.” He said the most notable increases are $2.50 on a resident fishing license and $2.50 on the trout permit “which are our two most popular items.”

That increase alone is expected to generate $2.5 million.

On the boating side, he said many fees have remained unchanged for decades.

According to the fee proposal, last increases for some permits dated to 1980 with the most recent increases for some permits from 1999. An additional $1.8 million is anticipated from those increases.

The commission would have to exact final rulemaking to institute the fees and Schaeffer said that could happen in late August wit the fees going into effect for the 2023 license year.

Feedback to the proposal was overwhelmingly positive.

“(We) do not think the fees are out of line,” John Kline with Back Country Hunters said. “We need the agency to stay strong.”

“This is the way it has to be done,” he said, in light of the Commission receiving no tax revenue.

“(It is) extremely important to have a resource agency by strong enough, financially stable and empowered to do the essential work that they do,” Lenny Lickvar with Pa. Trout unlimited added. “The user pay model still works.”

“We trust you right now,” Mike Kriner with the Pa. Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists said. “I think there’s a trust by the general public in what you’re doing.”