The trout will be stocked at a rate of 175 to 225 per mile of stream, which is comparable to the numbers of similarly sized fish in Pennsylvania’s best wild trout waters. Under the program, approximately 10,000 large trout will be distributed among the streams. Once again included in this year’s stocking lists are the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters, a program where sections of 24 streams across the state are stocked with large 14″ – 20″ trout and managed under Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only or Miscellaneous Special regulations. In addition to trout raised at state fish hatcheries, PFBC cooperative nurseries operated by sportsmen’s clubs and other groups across the state will add another 1 million trout to waters open to public angling throughout the year. Approximately 80% of golden Rainbow Trout will be stocked during the preseason, and approximately 20% will be stocked in-season. In addition to being stocked during the preseason period before opening day, these highly prized fish featuring vibrant golden-orange pigmentation and weighing an average of 1.5 pounds will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings. In 2022, the PFBC will stock approximately 13,000 golden Rainbow Trout. Roughly 70% of these large fish will be stocked into streams and lakes during the preseason prior to opening day of trout season, and 30% will be stocked during in-season replenishment stockings. This year, the PFBC will stock approximately 70,000 brood fish, which are 2 ½ year-old and 3 ½ year-old hatchery-raised Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout measuring 14″-20″. In 2022, anglers will have an excellent chance to catch large, trophy-sized trout. As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length with an average weight of. These figures, which are consistent with the number of trout stocked over the past decade, include approximately 2.2 million Rainbow Trout 686,000 Brown Trout and 293,000 Brook Trout. The PFBC will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 696 streams and 128 lakes open to public angling. Anglers should note that fishing is not permitted on lakes and streams designated as Stocked Trout Waters from February 21 to the Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day and the opening day of the regular trout season in April, unless waters are included in the Stocked Trout Waters Open to Year-Round Fishing program. While I found that there would be more trout in these streams if we eliminated stocking, I calculated that there would be less economic benefit for the state of Pennsylvania if stocking were eliminated.To accommodate the earlier statewide trout season, preseason trout stocking operations are set to begin the week of February 21.
I found that once we stop stocking these twelve sections, there will be more trout biomass in these streams from wild trout populations than from previously stocked and wild trout populations combined. I calculated the results of eliminating stocking in twelve “Class A”, wild trout streams that are currently being stocked by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). Using the literature, I found stocking trout has numerous harmful ecological impacts on native and wild trout as well as the ecosystems they inhabit. Stocking hatchery trout when wild trout are already present in bodies of water has been shown to reduce the wild trout population and potentially reduce angler catch rates. Along with the native brook trout, additional hatchery trout are added to the streams these non-native wild trout inhabit in the hopes of providing more fish for anglers to catch and greater economic benefit to the state of Pennsylvania. From this practice of stocking, non-native brown and rainbow trout have reproduced and spread throughout the many freshwater streams of Pennsylvania, building a population of non-native wild trout. Submitted to the Departments of Economics and Environmental Scienceĭescription: Trout stocking has been a means to supplement ailing freshwater systems and provide greater recreational opportunities for anglers. Senior Capstone Experience by Willie Cosner ’21