Securing a registration for a boat will be a little more logical in a couple months.

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission took action earlier this week to comply with an act of the General Assembly that aimed to make the license year for boats align with a calendar year – Jan. 1 through Dec. 31.

“Currently, Pennsylvania boat registrations are valid from April 1 to March 31, which can be confusing to boaters and result in unintentional violations,” the Commission said in a statement earlier this week. The change to a calendar-year registration period will provide clarity to regulations, be easier to remember, and result in customer service improvements.”

The commission says that calendar year boat registrations will be issued starting in Oct. 2023 for 2024.

In other boating news, the Commission moved to clarify regulations regarding requirements for lifejackets on paddleboards.

Several sections of the code – including the one governing the Allegheny Reservoir – would be amended to add paddleboards “where life jacket wear is required on boats less than 16 feet in length of any canoe or kayak.”

In fisheries news, the commission intends to move on a proposal to track non-commission stockings in lakes, ponds and streams throughout the commonwealth.

The move — which would develop a “Notice of Stocking” requirement — is intended to “protect aquatic resources, and address increased risks associated with aquatic invasive species and pathogens.”

The commission says more than 30 states already have requirements for tracking how and when fish are stocked in state waters, including all states in the northeast but Pennsylvania.

“From the start of this process, there was consensus that Pennsylvania must do more to protect fish and other aquatic resources from the threat of invasive species and pathogens,” B.J. Small, District 6 Commissioner and PFBC President said. “The Notice of Stocking will help us do that because we will know more about what is being stocked into our waters. We welcomed feedback, took it into account, and took the time to achieve a better version of this new chapter. Additionally, this chapter includes much needed regulations for baitfish, watercraft inspections, and fish health inspections.”

The notice of stocking requirements will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024.