Study: Merging agencies would save millions

HARRISBURG (AP) -- A legislative study released Wednesday estimates that merging the state Fish and Boat Commission with the Game Commission would produce a windfall of more than $5 million a year, but spokesmen for the two financially strapped agencies immediately attacked the findings as inaccurate and incomplete.
Game Commission executive director Vernon R. Ross said the legislative study contained "many major errors ... that inflate savings and fail to identify costs." Dennis Guise, deputy executive director of the Fish and Boat Commission, insisted his opposition is based on a concern the unified agency would reduce services to anglers and decrease fish and wildlife management efforts.
Pennsylvania is the only state that operates separate, stand-alone agencies covering fish and aquatic resources on the one hand and wildlife and game resources on the other.