Coronavirus temporarily halts volunteers helping at trout stockings statewide

Paul Peirce
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 5:29 p.m. | Tuesday, March 17, 2020 5:29 p.m.

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Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Waterways Conservation Officers work with other fish commission employees to stock trout along the upper section of Four Mile Run in Donegal on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, no volunteers are allowed to help with stocking.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Waterways Conservation Officer Dan Wilson stocks trout along the upper section of Four Mile Run in Donegal on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Volunteers will not be allowed to participate in stocking fish for the remainder of the season.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Mike Depew from the state Fish and Boat Commission stocks trout along the upper section of Four Mile Run in Donegal on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission continued stocking trout this week, but without the help of volunteers.

“We realize that many of our stocking volunteers look forward to helping us, but we must take these necessary precautions to ensure public safety during this vital period,” said the commission’s Executive Director Tim Schaeffer.

“Just as we’ve counted on our volunteers for decades to help us stock trout, we’re counting on them now to play it safe and stay home. We appreciate their service throughout the years, and we hope that we can invite them back to join us again very soon,” Schaeffer said.

Trout stocking took place without volunteers Tuesday along Four Mile Run in Donegal Township. Instead of volunteers assisting with the stocking, the commission was using temporarily reassigned fish commission employees and conservation officers.

The agency said the public can expect an accelerated stocking schedule. Schaeffer noted the changes will not result in any reduction in the approximately 3.2 million trout scheduled to be stocked statewide in 2020, and stocking will occur seven days a week until further notice.

Trout stockings will be announced after their completion, rather than in advance on the FishBoatPA mobile app and commission website www.fishandboat.com.

In addition, the commission announced it was consolidating this year’s trout season schedule into a single, statewide schedule for all counties. Under the consolidated schedule, a single Mentored Youth Trout Day will occur April 11, and the statewide opening day of trout season will take place April 18.