Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Director Talks Trout Stocking and COVID-19

From The Bradford Era

Written by Charlie Burchfield, Era Outdoors Columnist

April 1, 2020

It's going to be a different kind of fishing season this year for Pennsylvania anglers.

Tim Schaeffer, executive director of the PA Fish & Boat Commission, in a telephone conference hosted by the PA Outdoor Writers Association, spoke with its members regarding the 2020 trout opener.

This year, volunteers were not permitted to participate in the stocking of fish.

“The adjustment was made in the interest of staff and volunteer safety,” Schaeffer noted. “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.”

“An accelerated stocking schedule began March 16, and we put in over 130,000 fish per day, which was done on a 7-day a week schedule. Absolutely there will be no

change in the number of fish to be stocked this year.”

Schaeffer also noted that the PA Fish & Boat

Commission combined the preseason and in- season stocking numbers of fish due to the accelerated stocking program. Schaeffer added, “We anticipate that we will get them all out. We’re on track to stock 3.2 million trout as planned.”