HARRISBURG, Pa. (EYT) — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced on Wednesday that it will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, May 23, at the Hadley Rod and Gun Club in Mercer County to present an update on panfish changes to Shenango River Lake that will take effect in 2019.

The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. as part of the monthly meeting for the Mercer County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. Hadley Rod and Gun Club is located at 2840 Perry Highway (US 19), Clarks Mills, PA. The clubhouse is located one-half mile north of the Rainbow Valley Restaurant on the west side of US Route 19.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

At their April 23 quarterly business meeting, Commissioners approved the designation of Shenango River Lake as a panfish enhancement water for crappies. The change reduces the creel limit from 50 to 20 per day and creates a 9-inch minimum size. The change is intended to boost the population of white crappie, which has been decreasing since 2010 and increase the size of both black and white crappies.

A 2017 survey of 138 anglers showed that 89% of those who identified themselves as crappie anglers preferred the 9-inch minimum size limit and 71% preferred a 20 per day creel limit.

“Application of panfish enhancement regulations has improved size structure and density of crappies in other Pennsylvania lakes,” said PFBC biologist Tim Wilson. “Additionally, certain characteristics of Shenango River Lake’s crappie populations suggest that panfish enhancement regulations are likely to have a positive effect.”

The change will take effect on January 1, 2019.