NOTICES
Proposed Changes to List of Class A Wild Trout Streams
[42 Pa.B. 2562]
[Saturday, May 12, 2012]The Fish and Boat Commission (Commission) is considering changes to its list of Class A Wild Trout Streams. Under 58 Pa. Code § 57.8a (relating to Class A wild trout streams), it is the Commission's policy to manage self-sustaining Class A wild trout populations as a renewable natural resource to conserve that resource and the angling it provides. Class A wild trout populations represent the best of this Commonwealth's naturally reproducing trout fisheries. The Commission manages these stream sections solely for the perpetuation of the wild trout fishery with no stocking.
Criteria developed for Class A Wild Trout fisheries are species specific. Wild Trout Abundance Class Criteria include provisions for:
(i) Wild Brook Trout Fisheries
(A) Total brook trout biomass of at least 30 kg/ha (26.7 lbs/acre).
(B) Total biomass of brook trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(C) Brook trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of the total trout biomass.
(ii) Wild Brown Trout Fisheries
(A) Total brown trout biomass of at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre).
(B) Total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(C) Brown trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of the total trout biomass.
(iii) Mixed Wild Brook and Brown Trout Fisheries
(A) Combined brook and brown trout biomass of at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre).
(B) Total biomass of brook trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(C) Total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha (0.089 lbs/acre).
(D) Brook trout biomass must comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(E) Brown trout biomass must comprise less than 75% of the total trout biomass.
(iv) Wild Rainbow Trout Fisheries
Total biomass of rainbow trout less than 15 cm (5.9 inches) in total length of at least 2.0 kg/ha (1.78 lbs/acre).
For a water to be removed from the Class A Wild Trout Streams designation, total trout biomass must be documented below the set criteria for two consecutive stream examinations.
During recent surveys, Commission staff documented the following stream sections to have Class A wild trout populations. The Commission intends to consider adding these waters to its list of Class A Wild Trout Streams at its meeting on July 16 and 17, 2012.
County Stream Section Limits Brook Trout (kg/ha) Brown Trout (kg/ha) Length (miles) Survey Year Clinton Spring Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 57.67 7.97 2.2 2011 Clinton West Kammerdiner Run 01 Headwaters to Mouth 48.65 — 2.1 2011 Lackawanna Lackawanna River 07 RT 347 to Green Ridge Street — 47.38 5.8 2010 The Commission also will consider a revision to the section limits of the Class A designation of Baldwin Run, Tioga County. On October 30, 2008, Commission staff participated in a joint survey of Baldwin Run (309A) at the request of the Department of Environmental Protection to determine wild trout population status in the lower reaches of the stream, downstream of the confluence with an unnamed tributary at RM 1.16 that drains a large wetland complex. Baldwin Run is a tributary to Marsh Creek and was initially surveyed by Commission staff in 1995. Survey results indicated the presence of a very good wild brook trout population with an estimated biomass of 40.5 kg/ha. In 1999, the Commission designated Baldwin Run from the headwaters to the mouth as a Class A Wild Trout Stream. However, subsequent evaluation of Baldwin Run indicated that the stream's character significantly changes when it flows out of the narrow mountainous valley (where the initial survey was conducted in 1995) and reaches the wide valley floor. Results of the 2008 survey indicate that the lower 1.16 miles of Baldwin Run (below the large wetland complex) harbors a warm/coolwater fish community including bluntnose minnow, brown bullhead, central stoneroller, chain pickerel, creek chub, creek chubsucker, pumpkinseed, tessellated darter and white sucker; no trout were collected. Follow up surveys on July 14, 2009, and August 18, 2010, confirmed the results of the 2008 survey, as only warm/coolwater fish species were collected and no trout were present. Therefore, the Commission will consider revising the Class A section limits of Baldwin Run from the headwaters downstream to the confluence with the unnamed tributary at RM 1.16. The Commission already has revised the section limits of its wild trout stream designation on Baldwin Run.
Persons with comments, objections or suggestions concerning the designations and redesignation are invited to submit comments in writing to Executive Director, Fish and Boat Commission, P. O. Box 67000, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7000, within 30 days after publication of this notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Comments also may be submitted electronically by completing the form at www.fishandboat.com/regcomments. If an acknowledgment of electronic comments is not received by the sender within 2 working days, the comments should be retransmitted to ensure receipt. Electronic comments submitted in any other manner will not be accepted.
JOHN A. ARWAY,
Executive Director
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 12-867. Filed for public inspection May 11, 2012, 9:00 a.m.]
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