HARRISBURG – 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 Dec. 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.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission doesn’t want you to 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.
One thing that won’t be available Dec. 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.