Those who kill golden and bald eagles will face stiffer penalties under Pennsylvania law.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners Tuesday gave final approval to a measure that increases to $2,500 the replacement costs for killing bald eagles or golden eagles.The heightened penalty will take effect in the coming months.The issue came to light after a Lehighton man pleaded guilty to shooting a bald eagle in Andreas.Carl Marion, 46, paid around $4,500 in fines and court costs at District Magistrate Casimir Kosciolek’s office in Lansford.The eagle was found in late April at the intersection of Germans Road and Stone Mountain Road.The investigation led the wildlife conservation officer to Marion and the remains of five great blue herons were located near his property.Marion was charged with one count of disturbance of wildlife and six counts of the unlawful taking of protected birds.A $1,700 fine was assessed for the disturbance of wildlife charge, while the unlawful taking charges cost Marion $400 per bird.The bald eagle had been classified as a state-threatened species until early 2014, when it was removed from the Pennsylvania’s threatened-species list because its recovery met objectives outlined in the state’s bald-eagle management plan.While golden and bald eagles both remain protected by federal and state law, the fact that neither bird was classified as threatened meant that killing a golden or bald eagle resulted at the state level in $200 in replacement costs. Replacement costs are restitution for unlawfully killed wildlife, and typically are paid in addition to fines.Commissioners said the $2,500 replacement cost emphasizes that although golden and bald eagles are recovered in Pennsylvania, they still require further protection.