Pennsylvania Wild Trout Coalition - Article - Stocking Reform

This is a good article and an important topic.

But I think many people will miss it because the title of the thread has no information on the topic.

Could an informative title be added?
 
This is such an important movement that appears to finally be getting some traction. I am proud of the work being done and am excited to continue to send targeted emails and speak to those in positions to make the changes that need to be made.
 
I’m also very proud of the hard work that has been put into this effort. James has gathered a lot of support and important stakeholders in the reform efforts. It’s great to see some larger media coverage.
 
What does this say about PA Trout Unlimited and all the local TU chapters if this coalition has been formed? Isn’t this duplication of effort? Most of the leaders of this coalition were PA Trout officers, weren’t they?
 
McSneek said:
What does this say about PA Trout Unlimited and all the local TU chapters if this coalition has been formed? Isn’t this duplication of effort? Most of the leaders of this coalition were PA Trout officers, weren’t they?
Click to expand...
To me it says that they are ineffective at bringing attention to this situation. Whether it be from lack of desire or ineffectivness of campaigning for it in ways the public can relate to it, its anyone's guess. It is likely different reasons across different chapters.

I was once told when I tried to get reform in stocking done to Upper Hammer Creek via lobbying through Donegal Trout Unlimited for support, that no one cares about catching 6-8" fish. So then, to me that chapter didnt care about wild brook trout like they should. That was nearly 25-30 years ago. Today that creek is being over run by wild brown trout.

This is why I said love him or hate him James comes up with good ideas bringing it to the fore front and into the public eye. The common man does not care much for trout. Most people in the commonwealth don't fish, but they and the common fisherman, can relate to wasteful spending. They also can especially right now considering the cost of everything and how many people are truly struggling.
 
FisherOfMen said:
To me it says that they are ineffective at bringing attention to this situation. Whether it be from lack of desire or ineffectivness of campaigning for it in ways the public can relate to it, its anyone's guess. It is likely different reasons across different chapters.
Click to expand...
These days TU would be more effective taking the most active officers from the various local chapters and grouping them into statewide chapters. With each chapter siloed into their individual pet watersheds, you end up with some chapters that just lose all their effective officers over time and/or stuck in decades-old philosophies, while other chapters are still going strong and evolving. The successful leaders need to feel empowered to lend support to causes in other chapters' geographic areas. Stocking over wild trout is a statewide issue.
 
We wouldn’t HAVE wild Browns and Bows if it weren’t for stocking - we seem to forget that we mismanaged the resource(s) when we fished out the Native populations and put invasives into our waterways - Smallmouth aren’t native to the Susquehanna drainage - neither are Flathead Catfish - nor Snakeheads - Browns and Rainbows are invasive to the entire Commonwealth etc etc - the point being: Mankind is always playing catch up to the good idea fairy when it comes to habitat management, good stewardship of our existing resources and thoughtful modernization of our planet - all while often paying larger more permanent pricing for the mistakes made and blame assigned - those are some of the reasons why I’ve quit all the organizations who have strayed from the original mission statement - I agree with not stocking over established populations of (sometimes) native fish but until we swap the put and take mentality of many anglers with “caring for your catch if taking a few home” thought process, things will be status quo for the foreseeable future - and a message to all those catch and release expert influencers on social media: quit squeezing the life out of the fish before “throwing it back” (literally) for all those likes …
 
sarce said:
These days TU would be more effective taking the most active officers from the various local chapters and grouping them into statewide chapters. With each chapter siloed into their individual pet watersheds, you end up with some chapters that just lose all their effective officers over time and/or stuck in decades-old philosophies, while other chapters are still going strong and evolving. The successful leaders need to feel empowered to lend support to causes in other chapters' geographic areas. Stocking over wild trout is a statewide issue.
Click to expand...
I agree with you 100%. However there would likely be some reaction from those who prefer decades-old philosophies and more of the grassroots feel of local chapters as they exist now. Would TU get labeled as even more elitist and out of touch if some form of centralization takes place?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing

USGS Stream Gauges

USGS Pennsylvania Stream Gauges

Share this page

Back
Top