BOATING IN PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania provides nearly unlimited opportunities for the recreational boater. Pennsylvania has 83,261 miles of rivers and streams ranging from headwaters to major river systems. The Commonwealth has 76 natural lakes that provide 5,266 acres of flatwater while an additional 2,300 constructed impoundments provide another 200,000 acres of boatable waters.
Lake Erie has 63 plus miles of shoreline and 735 square miles of waters within Pennsylvania's boundaries. The Delaware River provides 56 miles of tidal waters within Pennsylvania, giving access to the Atlantic Ocean.
The number of recreational boats on Pennsylvania waters continues to increase. In 1982, fewer than 200,000 boats were registered. In 2010, there were 338,201 registered boats. Over half of the registered boats in the Commonwealth are less than 16 feet in length. Pennsylvania is primarily a small-boat state. However, all kinds of boating are popular, from whitewater rafting on the Youghiogheny to big-water boating on the lower Delaware.
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC):
The PFBC is responsible for promoting fishing and boating, and regulating and enforcing fishing and boating laws and regulations in Pennsylvania. Established in 1866, the Commission is primarily funded by Pennsylvania's boaters and fishermen through boat registration fees and fishing license revenues.