How does regulating guides and charters benefit fisheries management?
Because guides and charter boat operators are often very skilled anglers who spend a great deal of time fishing, they also have the opportunity to make on-the-water observations over an extended period of time. Likewise, on the whole, they also have the potential to impact a fishery to a greater degree than the occasional recreational angler. Because there wasn’t a mandatory permitting system for guides/charters in Pennsylvania, the picture these records could supply was woefully incomplete. By mandating all fishing guides/charter operators be permitted, the Legislature ensured the Commission will be able to develop a complete list of who is offering commercial fishing-related services in the state.
