HARRISBURG — Environmental advocacy groups say a Pennsylvania state fish hatchery on a Susquehanna River tributary is routinely violating its permitted pollution limits and hurting the Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort.

Philadelphia-based PennEnvironment and the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project said Thursday records show the Bellefonte hatchery in Centre County frequently violates limits for nitrogen, phosphorus, total suspended solids and oxygen-consuming substances.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission owns the hatchery.

The groups say the pollutants harm aquatic life and set back Pennsylvania’s ability to comply with the requirements of a Chesapeake Bay cleanup. They also say the hatchery periodically bypasses its micro-filter wastewater treatment system.