Title 30, FISH

(a) General rule.--A person is guilty of an offense under this title if it is committed by his own conduct or by the conduct of another person for which he is legally accountable, or both. (b) Conduct of another.--A person is legally accountable for the conduct of another person …

Prosecutions for violating any provision of this title shall be commenced within the period provided by Chapter 55 of Title 42 (relating to limitation of time).

In all cases of violation of any provision of this title, the possession of fish or the possession or operation of nets, equipment or other devices prohibited under this title shall be prima facie evidence of the violation.

(a) General rule.--The following penalties shall be imposed for violations of this title: (1) For a summary offense of the first degree, a fine of $250 or imprisonment not exceeding 90 days. (2) For a summary offense of the second degree, a fine of $150 or imprisonment not exceed…

Any person convicted of a summary offense under this title shall, in addition to the fine imposed, be sentenced to pay costs as provided or prescribed by or pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 17 (relating to governance of the system). (Dec. 20, 1982, P.L.1409, No.326, eff. 60 days)

(a) General rule.--Subject to subsection (d), a person charged with violating any provision of this title which is a summary offense may sign, within ten days of the commission of the offense, an acknowledgment of the offense committed and pay to any authorized officer of the com…

(a) General rule.--Subject to any inconsistent procedures and standards relating to reports and transmission of funds prescribed pursuant to Title 42 (relating to judiciary and judicial procedure) and related penalties: (1) Fines recovered in cases where the prosecutor is a salar…

(a) General rule.--A person convicted of an offense under this title shall forfeit any fish seized under section 901(a)(6) (relating to powers and duties of waterways conservation officers and deputies) and any device confiscated under this title. Forfeitures shall be conducted i…

(a) Revocation or denial.--Any fishing license, special license or permit or privilege, including boating privileges, granted under the authority of this title may be revoked by the commission, in its discretion, when the holder of the license, permit or privilege is convicted of…

All fishing and boating privileges granted by this title shall automatically be suspended if a defendant fails to respond to a citation or summons within 30 days or fails to pay all penalties in full within 90 days following conviction or a guilty plea. (Nov. 3, 1999, P.L.447, No…

Subject to any inconsistent regulations prescribed pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 3502 (relating to financial regulations): (1) General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), upon the apprehension of a nonresident of this Commonwealth for any violation of this title that…

The commission shall administer and enforce this part and other laws of this Commonwealth relating to: (1) The encouragement, promotion and development of the fishery interests. (2) The protection, propagation and distribution of fish.

(a) General rule.--The commission may promulgate such general and special rules and regulations as it deems necessary and appropriate concerning fish and fishing in the waters of, and elsewhere in, this Commonwealth, including regulations concerning the protection, preservation a…

(a) General rule.--Any water area in this Commonwealth stocked with fish furnished by the commission shall be open to the public for the purpose of free lawful fishing. (b) Liability for property damage.--This section does not exempt any person trespassing on the lands of any per…

(a) General rule.--No person shall fish on any Sunday from privately owned land without the express or implied consent of the owner or lessee of the land abutting on a stream or body of water and of the bed thereunder. The consent shall be implied unless the landowner takes any r…

(a) Exemption from regulation.--The restrictions on fishing imposed by this part do not apply to a resident owner or lessee of a farm, his family and other persons who are regularly employed upon the farm, all of the class which must permanently reside upon the farm, while fishin…

(a) General rule.--No person shall fish, or trespass with intent to fish, in any hatchery waters or waters designated by the commission as nursery waters, upon the bed or bank of any such waters or upon any hatchery lands controlled, owned or occupied by the commission, Federal G…

(a) General rule.--A person shall not sell, offer for sale or knowingly purchase fish taken from any hatchery waters or waters designated by the commission as nursery waters in violation of section 2106 (relating to fishing in hatchery or nursery waters). (b) Penalty.--A person v…

(a) General rule.--It is unlawful for a person who kills fish while engaged in activities permitted by this title to refuse or neglect to make a reasonable effort to lawfully dispose of such fish. (b) Penalty.--A violation of this section is a summary offense of the third degree.…

(a) Prohibited conduct.--It shall be unlawful to do any of the following from any waters of this Commonwealth, boundary waters or lands: (1) During the closed season, take, catch, kill or possess fish having a replacement cost in excess of $500. (2) Take, catch, kill or possess t…

(a) Prohibited conduct.--It shall be unlawful to take, catch, kill or possess fish by any method not specifically authorized by law or regulation from any waters of this Commonwealth, boundary waters or lands. (b) Grading.--The following shall apply: (1) Any person violating subs…

(a) Determination of policy.--The commission shall determine policy pertaining to the propagation and distribution or planting of the fish produced at the Commonwealth fish hatcheries or otherwise acquired. (b) False representation to procure fish.--Any person who by false repres…

The Commonwealth assents to the provisions of the Act of Congress, entitled "An Act To Provide That The United States Shall Aid the States in Fish Restoration And Management Projects And For Other Purposes," approved August 9, 1950 (16 U.S.C. § 777 et seq.), and the commission sh…

The Commonwealth consents and accords to the Federal Government and its agents the right to establish fish cultural stations in this Commonwealth and to conduct fish hatching and fish culture at the hatcheries in any manner and at any time the Federal Government deems necessary a…

(a) General rule.--The commission may make comprehensive studies of the migratory habits of fish which include the stocking and tagging of shad below and above the Safe Harbor Dam, the Holtwood Dam and the Conowingo Dam. (b) Assistance from government agencies.--The commission ma…

(a) Establishment and publication of lists.--The executive director shall establish a Pennsylvania Threatened Species List and a Pennsylvania Endangered Species List. The lists, and any revisions thereto, shall be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. (b) Rules, regulations and…

(a) General rule.--The commission may set aside, in its discretion, such areas as it may judge best as refuge areas in which fishing or entry shall be prohibited for such periods of time as the commission prescribes. Notices of these closings shall be posted at the refuge areas. …

(a) General rule.--The commission may designate certain water areas for specific purposes and promulgate such rules and regulations as are deemed necessary to protect and manage the fishery therein. (b) Penalty.--Any person violating any rule and regulation promulgated under subs…

(a) General rule.--It is unlawful for any person to commit any of the following acts in or along any waters or lands adjacent to or contiguous to waters within or bordering on this Commonwealth: (1) Park or leave standing any motor vehicle or other means of conveyance in such a m…

(a) General rule.--No person shall alter or disturb any stream, stream bed, fish habitat, water or watershed in any manner that might cause damage to, or loss of, fish without the necessary permits. (b) Penalty.--Any person violating the provisions of this section commits a misde…

(a) General rule.--It is unlawful for any person to throw, discard, leave, emit, deposit or allow the depositing of any garbage, bottles, cans, rubbish, wire, glass, paper, cardboard or wooden boxes or cartons or any other type of debris, trash or other thing or substance in or a…

(a) General rule.--No person, regardless of intent, shall: (1) Put or place in any waters within or on the boundaries of this Commonwealth any electricity, explosives or any poisonous substances except that, for the purposes of research and fish management, agents of or persons a…

(a) General rule.--No person shall destroy or tamper with any ponds, property or appliances whatsoever of the commission, Federal Government or cooperative nursery approved by the commission, nor interfere with, obstruct, pollute or affect the natural flow of water into or throug…

(a) Declaration of policy.--The Commonwealth has sufficient interest in fish living in a free state to give it standing, through its authorized agencies, to recover damages in a civil action against any person who kills any fish or who injures any streams or streambeds by polluti…

(a) General rule.--No person shall purchase, sell, barter, trade or offer for sale any species of fish taken from waters wholly within this Commonwealth or illegally taken from waters outside this Commonwealth and received in interstate commerce except those species of fish which…

(a) General rule.--No person shall transport, sell, offer for sale or release in this Commonwealth or import, bring or cause to be brought or imported into this Commonwealth a nonnative injurious fish. (b) Regulations.--The commission shall promulgate regulations pertaining to no…

(a) General rule.--For the purposes of this chapter, any person is eligible for a "Resident Annual Fishing License" when the person: (1) Has applied to an issuing agent within this Commonwealth or to the commission. (2) Has established the person's identity, age and the fact that…

(a) Nonresident annual licenses.--For the purposes of this chapter, any person who does not purchase a resident fishing license under section 2701 (relating to resident fishing licenses) is eligible for a "Nonresident Annual Fishing License" when the person: (1) Has applied to an…

(a) General rule.--A person required to have a fishing license under section 2701 (relating to resident fishing licenses) may fish in any waters of this Commonwealth or in any boundary waters for a period not to exceed 24 hours, specified by the person at time of purchase, with a…

(a) General rule.--No person 16 years of age or older shall fish in any of the waters of this Commonwealth, in any boundary waters or on land without first procuring the proper license required by this chapter. The license shall be kept about the person while fishing and shown up…

In case a license certificate is lost or destroyed, a new license may be secured from the commission or any issuing agent by paying the replacement license fee and issuing agent fee set forth in section 2715 (relating to license and issuing fees). (July 20, 1983, P.L.53, No.27, e…

(a) General rule.--No person shall alter, borrow, lend or transfer any license authorized by this title, or give any false or misleading information to an issuing agent or to the commission, its officers or agents in an application for a license. (b) Penalty.--Any person who viol…

The commission may issue annually not more than 100 fishing licenses without fee and in such form as the commission may determine. Licenses may be granted to any of the following persons: (1) The President and Vice President of the United States. (2) The governor of any state. (3…

(a) General rule for disabled veterans.-- (1) (Deleted by amendment). (2) Any disabled veteran who has a service-connected disability rating between 60% and 99% as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and who meets the qualifications of section 2701 (rela…

(a) Eligibility.--The commission or a county treasurer shall issue one annual resident fishing license at a cost of $1 to any person eligible under section 2701 (relating to resident fishing licenses) for the license who provides documentation that within the previous 24 months t…

2025 Repeal. Section 2707.2 was repealed June 30, 2025, P.L.73, No.21, effective in 60 days.