Lehigh River Meeting

Chaz

Chaz

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PFBC Fisheries Dept. will hold a Public Meeting regarding the Lehigh River Fisheries Management Plan on April 12, 7-9 PM at the Lehighton High School.
 
Chaz:

Where did you hear about this? From who at the PFBC???? just looking for more background.

thanks
 
Has there been any firm confirmation of this meeting? I looked for a press release or anything on the net, but couldn't find any info. I just don't wanna head down there for nuttin' on the 12th.

Also, what's taking so long for the Lehigh River Creel Survey results from last year? Maybe the results will be revealed on the 12th?
 
Mark
I got an email from the regional Fish Commissioner about the meeting. So I would mark it in stone that this meeting is on.

Creel Survey - I have no idea. In January, I sent the PFBC all the information our group compiled. Something to ask them at the meeting. I would think they would use some of that information in making some decisions on the management plan.
 
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/newsreleases/2007/lehigh_mtg.htm

Official Press Release :lol:
 
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/newsreleases/2007/lehigh_mtg.htm

INFORMATIONAL MEETING ON LEHIGH RIVER FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SLATED
April 3 , 2007

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will host a public information meeting on fisheries management for the Lehigh River on April 12 from 7-9 p.m. at Lehighton High School.
The PFBC will present an update on the development of a fisheries management plan for the river, with a special emphasis on the portion of the river from FE Walter Reservoir to the mouth. The plan will be a “living document” that will be modified as needed and regularly updated on a five-year basis. At the meeting, the public will be given an opportunity to ask questions regarding the plan development and contribute to it through comments. Among the items being considered is the potential for special fishing regulations in the area of the river immediately downstream of the dam.

For those unable to attend the meeting and offer oral comment, written comments will be accepted when the draft document is published.

The meeting site is located at 1 Indian Lane in Lehighton.

A note came from Dean.
 
This Thursday's TU meeting for the Bucks County Chapter is at 7pm:

"We are going to welcome Dean Drukenmiller who is the President and co-founder of the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance. This group is a grassroots organization dedicated to enhancing and preserving the Lehigh River's coldwater trout fishery. Dean has many years experience and vast fly fishing knowledge to share, and it should be interesting to hear what is going on with the Lehigh River."

For those in the area and interested.

D
 
It was a very informative meeting last night at the Lehighton High
School. That auditorium is the nicest place I've ever been for one
of these fishery/conservation meetings.
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The turnout was a bit lighter than I expected with about 60-70 in
attendence. There was lots of great infomation given with all kinds
of Lehigh topics discussed and lots of audience participation.

There will be no special regs for the state park section below the
dam. Their angler interviews show about half the anglers use bait
and about half of their catch is released. Release rates are even
higher for other angling types. They don't want to exclude half the
anglers with an artificials only reg and the release rate is already
high so C&R is not warranted. I would agree with that decision.
They may go with an open all year reg below the dam which
would add about six weeks of C&R fishing in March and early
April. A good thing.

The reason there are no adult trout stocked in the state park
below Sandy Run is that there are not enough fish available. They
already raise the max they can and there are so many acres of
water in that section. I still would like to see a few hundred adults
thrown in there by anyone. That is the most wild water on the river
and it's all public.

I was very surprised to hear that they only recieved twenty(20)
Lehigh Angler Log books for 2006. Come on guys, we can do
better than that in 2007. Download a trip sheet online or pick one
at a sport shop, fill it out after each trip, mail it in. So easy.

Mark
 
Hey Mark.

Missed ya at the meeting. I thought it was very imformative...moreso than any of the past PFBC Lehigh related events. I thought the turnout was good to.

For folks who did not attend and are sort of a data junkie...there is a comprehensive Lehigh document on the PFBC website.

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/newsreleases/2007/lehigh_fm_plan.htm

There is lots of historical data in the Complete Plan document, and what jumps out his just how DEAD the Lehigh used to be. When you take that into account, it makes sense that the Francis W Walter tower was constructed the way it was.
 
Thanks to everyone who attended this meeting.

Please comment on the Draft Plan. It will make a difference.
 
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