Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Governor Andrew G. Curtin signed an act of March 30, 1866, establishing a commission to improve water quality and restore migratory fish passage. It serves as a leader for national initiatives, including state fish hatcheries and environmental and habitat protection regulations and law enforcement. The agency protects, conserves, and enhances Pennsylvania's aquatic resources, and provides fishing and boating opportunities.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Just after the Civil War, Pennsylvania's rivers were being fouled by industrial pollution and blocked by dams that cut off the migrating fish that once filled them. In 1866 Governor Andrew Curtin signed a law creating a state commission to restore those waters and fisheries, among the earliest such bodies in the nation. From hatcheries to habitat protection and law enforcement, the agency grew into a model that other states and federal programs would follow.
Why it matters
It reflects an early American recognition that natural resources needed public stewardship, foreshadowing the conservation movement of the coming century.
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Related people
- · Andrew G. Curtin
Themes & tags
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