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The state Fish and Boat Commission and the state Game Commission should absolutely consolidate as many of their functions as they can.
In our opinion, these are moves that should have happened years ago – especially considering that both commissions have costs increasing faster than expenses and will operate at a deficit within the next 10 years. On the current path, the Game Commission would lose roughly 95% of its Game Fund balance by 2034 while the Fish and Boat Commission would exhaust its combined reserves by about 2034.
A study by the Wildlife Management Institute recommends sharing overlapping administrative and operational functions and physical assets, the unification of law enforcement bureaus of the PFBC and the PGC and making changes in state law to make those changes possible. These changes could save about $34 million a year.
The changes make sense and should happen quickly, in our opinion, though we aren't sure the proposed consolidation of services goes far enough. We have a feeling there is a good reason for that dubious distinction – having one agency handling fish and wildlife is the most cost-effective system. Those two commissions have a combined workforce of about 1,298 people. Many administrative functions exist in both commissions and are candidates for shared services, the study states, while noting the two agencies contain roughly 221 more positions when benchmarked against agencies of a similar size.
Both Rep. Anita Kulik, who is sponsoring legislation to implement the institute's recommendations, and Stephen Smith, state game commissioner, are quick to say no one is suggesting merging the commissions. That's too bad. Achieving financial solvency is a good goal, but we think the state should also look at a system that best serves the boaters, hunters and anglers who spend their time and money in Pennsylvania's forests and waterways.
The Wildlife Management Institute's WMI’s recommendations tiptoe up to the line of suggesting a consolidation by suggesting a merged website, merged publications, shared positions, shared enforcement officers and shared branding.
What's left?
The only thing left untouched would essentially be upper management and boards. Lawmakers should take the initiative to merge the agencies with an eye toward keeping licenses and other fees as affordable for those who partake in outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania.