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In 1873, the single Commissioner was reinforced by a Board of Commissioners. In 1883 a much more effective fishwalk, enabling shad to pass above obstructions, was put into use. A system of state hatcheries began which replenished depleted species. In 1903, the Board of Commissioners became a department-level state agency. In 1905, the legislature created a board with the short title Fish Commission (as distinct from the Board of Fisheries Commissioners), for the purpose of cooperative action with the neighboring states, and this was perpetuated until about 1910. In the short-lived Administrative Code of 1923, the Fisheries Commission was turned into an independent commission, and renamed the Fish Commission.
The term "fish" replacing "fisheries" recognized that authority was no longer limited just to fishing spots but applied wherever the fish ran. The Administrative Code of 1929 continued the use of "Fish," but relegated the unit to "Board of Fish Commissioners", although informally "Fish Commission" sometimes still appeared. In 1925, a Fish Fund was established, and the Commission was also involved with a newly created Clean Water Board. In 1949, the Board was by statute elevated to independent commission status and officially renamed the Fish Commission. Its head, still bearing the 1866 title of Commissioner of Fisheries, was made executive director of the agency. Now its main revenue sources were license fees from fishermen and motor boat operators.
In 1913, the state first regulated motor boats, but only by requiring mufflers.
In 1931, licensing of motor boats was imposed and the Fish Commissioners were
primarily responsible for enforcement; fish wardens shared the work with State
Police and forest and game wardens. In 1933, the Department of Revenue was charged
with the administration of motor boat licenses, which continued as the arrangement
until 1949. In 1963, the standards for appointments to the Fish Commission were
altered to require that one commissioner be knowledgeable in boating, and a
regulatory statute was passed conforming to the Federal Boating Act. By 1965
the Fish Commission had a Division of Watercraft Safety. In 1991 the agency
name was changed to Fish and Boat Commission; powers now extended to all pleasure
boats.
Last processing update: 5/13/2011, acc. #4522
| PA State Archives | Hours, Directions, & Fees | Research Topics | Finding Aids for Collections | Land Records |