Erie Fishers Upset About Fish Cleaning Rules

Fishers in Erie, Pennsylvania, are not happy about a rule that says they must leave some skin on their fish when using public cleaning stations. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is looking into this issue after getting complaints.

Dan Pastore, a leader at the agency, says many fishers don't like this rule. It was put in place in July 2022 and requires fishers to leave a small piece of skin on their fish filets. This is supposed to help law enforcement know what kind of fish people have caught.

The Fish and Boat Commission has three public fish cleaning stations in Erie. Fishers paid for these stations through special permits. Before the new rule, people could fully clean their fish at these stations.

Pastore thinks the rule isn't needed and causes problems. He says it makes the cleaning stations less useful and creates new ways for fishers to get in trouble with the law. He also points out that people can avoid this rule by cleaning their fish elsewhere, so it might not really protect fish populations.

Some officials, like John Mahn Jr., think the rule is important to protect fish. They say it helps stop people from catching too many fish or keeping fish that are too small.

The agency is now asking its officers in Erie what they think about this rule. They will talk about it again at their next meeting to decide if they should change or remove the rule.