Catch and transfer ethical? legal?

[tabasco_joe]

I own a piece of forest land in central PA that has a nice smalll stream running through it along with 7 springs on the property. The land is completely wooded with a high canopy of trees, never exceeds the high 50s, never runs dry, and supports a large population of minnows. I know through family history that prior to logging in the late 1880s the stream held brook trout. The logging of the 1880s destroyed the trout and a small mill dam downstream (not my property) has kept any trout from re-populating the stream. I've recently been considering re-introducing some brookies into the stream. I was thinking of catching a few legal size in an ajoining valley and putting them in my stream. Is this legal? Is this a good idea?

 

[Padraic]

I don't know about the ethics. It personally doesn't bother me at all.

It is illegal though. I don't know what the fines or penalties are. The reason for this is that transferring fish from one watershed to another might spread disease. I'm thinking though, that if you caught brookies from another place in the watershed the risk would be minimal. Although, I suppose it's still illegal.

You can buy fish from hatcheries and have them stocked. I think the hatchery takes care of the permits.

Contact your local FBC warden for advice on all this. I think that they would be happy to help.

 

[tabasco_joe]

I've been toying with this idea since last summer when I tried to fish the stream over the next ridge, less than 1/4 mile away. The stream was no longer flowing and there were large puddles with a few brookies in each. Most were less than legal size so I resisted the urge to scoop up a bucket full right then. I'm also struggling with the obvious followup question. One way or the other I will have some brookies in there next year.

 

[ian_brown]

Just follow the 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Get Caught.

 

[tomgamber]

You could always just purchase fish...

 

[eballat]

Its illegal to catch fish and transport them in PA, unless you have a legal receipt of purchas from the hatchery you got them from. I know this because a few years ago i had some genius friends that got the idea to build a 55 gallon areated tank in the back of one of their trucks and use it to take stockies they caught to a spring fed pond a few miles away. They got caught with 10 fish in their possession. I dont know what the monetary fines were, however, they were pretty high. They got nailed for being 5 fish over the legal limit (because you cant combine creel limits) and transporting live fish (I dont know the exact name of the infraction) But my friend Dale lost his fishing license for 3 years or something and had his car impounded for a week or so. They will only fine the driver of the vehicle though. Its just like drugs or stollen goods, you're the one responsible for whats in your car, so just have a friend drive when you go to take the fish.......

 

[flyfishermanj]

joe,

Are you looking to repopulate w/ natives or stockies? If stockies aren't a problem, go to a hatchery. But if you are after natives, go with Ian's post.
JH

 

[Fredrick]

I thought about doing something like this, there is a reservoir not to far from my house and it has a bottom release Dam and the water is cold all year round and the water quality is good . There is natural brown trout reproduction further up stream also . I was thinking of transporting some stockies or buying some vibrax boxes and puting them in down stream from the release and let nature take its coarse ... :-D

 

[jaybo41]

My two cents on this would be to just buy some fish and stock it yourself. Ethically speaking, it's illegal so I don't recommend it. I certainly appreciate why you'd want to do this though. Pick some up from a hatchery and do it the right way. If the water is good enough and the habitat is right, you should hopefully get some reproducing trout.

 

[albatross]

You would think that there would be help out there to re-introduce brookies in their former range. Ethically, re-introduction is obviously the right thing to do. I wonder if the Back-the-brookie folks would be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[ryanh]

I must say that I am shocked!! All of this talk of stocking hatchery fish when he could establish a potentially viable wild population in another drainage. This is scandelous. :-D

I say more power to you Tobasco-Joe. If its your property then do what ever the hellyou want. While you are at it maybe bring in a back hoe and make a large hole so they have some place to live when the water gets low or frozen.

Wait! Some of this sounds very familiar.... I promise I won't turn you in.

As far as ethics goes, its your ground. If you are cool with then I say its good.

 

[Coughlin]

Hey, Joe, if you got the hot pepper, I'd say lay it on.
Coughlin

 

[tabasco_joe]

When TU or some other organization re-introduces brookies into their original range where do they get the fish? Hatchery or transplant from nearby waters? Somewhere else?

 

[Padraic]

Tabasco_joe

Usually, the trout come from a FBC hatchery. But i have heard of chapter using vibert (sp?) boxes. Which are boxes of fertilized eggs, which are buried in the stream at likely locations.

That's why I suggested contacting your local fbc warden. They would be able to help you work with the fbc and determine the best route for your project. I've always liked working with the fbc and would definately use that as a first option (ahead of breakin' da law!).

 

[Squaretail]

Why not fingerlings? One would think they would have a higher success rate than the boxes or full grown adults for a stream that size. Plus from what I remember they are the least expensive option as well. It can be real hard to tell the difference between a wild and a full grown stocked fingerling.