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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Land and Access Management

    Pennsylvania has a long and rich history of private landowners allowing the public access to on stream-side lands for fishing.

    Two adults and two teenagers wade into a stream and fish along the shoreline of a public access stream in Northwest, Pennsylvania.

    Public / Private Access

    Information about public and private access, landowners and more.

    Public / Private Access
    A wide shot of Douglas Pond, a PFBC pond where Pleasant Mount Hatchery propagate Walleye fingerling for stocking in PA waterways.

    Pond Management

    Information on how to identify the primary purpose for your pond and, given the pond's characteristics, determine what is reasonable.

    Pond Management

    Apply for the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program

    Provides funding to incentivize private landowners to allow public fishing access and habitat improvement on their land.

    Apply for the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program

    Recreation Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA)

    RULWA aims to encourage owners of land to make land and water areas available to the public for recreational purposes by limiting their liability.

    Recreation Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA)

    Conservation Acquisition Partnership (CAP) Program

    CAP was created by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to solicit and accept donations to be used solely to obtain additional access to Pennsylvania's water.

    Conservation Acquisition Partnership (CAP) Program