I think a letter would be a good idea to basically say “hey we see what your doing there despite mountains of research and EBTJV recommendations” but also as someone who has been a part of extensive engagement with PA the fish commission on advocating for stocking reforms through phone calls, petitions, public speaking to anglers, articles in media, they are immune to all of this it mostly serves as public education and awarness to create more accountability from the general public. We all know based on what happened to comissioner Arway that alot of elected representatives are behind the scenes and have a huge interest in keeping the stockers flowing because its free political capital to them that doesn’t come out of the general fund. What we REALLY need too is a large scale petition to the house and senate game committee’s, the governor, DCNR, National forest service(for Allegheny), DEP, and I would argue the sate auditor general because of borderline was fraud and abuse of counter spending against brook trout conservation dollars.
I dont think national forest service or DEP or DCNR are to blame here but its happening on their property or in DEP’s case stocked trout function as added impairment/pollution even if jot technically listed as such.
All such a large petition would do is tell the collective group above Pa fish and boat that we are making you aware of fisheries malpractice, resource mismanagement/waste, the truth about invasive trout species passed along from academics/EBTJV being kept from the public, the agencies devotion of the majority of their financial resources has impaired their conservation capacity, and we have for years tried to get reform but that discussions are not productive and we need those responsible the oversight of the commission to step in.
I personally feel like that would take this issue much more broad stage to general public non anglers and with enough signatures would get media coverage in one form or another, ESPECIALLY as the comission recently ignored a stocking reform petition for native brook trout done by a conservation non profit.
Just a thought because while I am a fan of proposed stocking auth and reducing brook trout stockings we need so much MORE than they are willing to give and despite many individuals and entities trying, negotiating with them for any meaningful reform has always been fruitless and likely will be. We need to speak to their overseers and say “hey this ignoring fisheries science and squandering of resources is happening on your watch, we are watching to see what you will do to reform the comission”