Where are all the volunteers who normally help stock trout? Mystified Pa. officials ask for help.

Staff at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission have run into a glitch at the height of trout stocking season: Few volunteers at a critical time when they typically have plenty.

And they aren’t entirely sure why.

“This is one of the few years that we’ve gotten requests in the field, within the last week or two, saying people just aren’t showing up,” said Col. Clyde Warner, director of the commission’s Bureau of Law Enforcement. “We could certainly use the help out there.”

Pulling from 14 state hatcheries, the Fish and Boat Commission stocks nearly 5,000 miles of streams and more than 125 lakes throughout Pennsylvania with trout — as well muskellunge, walleye, and panfish. But the opening of trout season is a main event, with anglers paying for fishing licenses that support the commission’s conservation mission, as well as driving local tourism.

Stocking days are critical to meet demand for the statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day on March 26 and opening day for all anglers on April 2.

Warner doesn’t know how many volunteers usually help with the annual spring trout stocking because that data isn’t collected. But it’s likely in the thousands, he said, with many repeat volunteers drawn from various clubs, schools, and organizations such as Trout Unlimited.

His waterways conservation officers lead stocking operations because they are the most familiar with local streams, landowners, fishing clubs, and spots people are most likely to fish. The officers also help ensure public safety at stocking events, which involve large trucks and volunteer vehicles making frequent stops along busy roads.

Warner and other officers theorize that the past two years of pandemic-reduced volunteerism, combined with high gas prices, could be a factor since volunteers use their own vehicles, sometimes to travel long distances to streams. Pandemic restrictions have been lifted for the volunteers, though many might not be aware of that.

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The lack of volunteers might seem more understandable in remote areas of the state, such as Potter County. But officers are also seeing a shortage in the southeast region, which includes Philadelphia and its ring counties.

“We had a request yesterday for help in Skippack in Montgomery County saying they thought they were going to be short of help,” Warner said. “We were able to get them some staff help, but that one surprised me. So we are still seeing reduced numbers down in that neck of the woods.”

Warner said that most years, anglers from Philadelphia will drive up to the Poconos to help fill streams with some of the nearly 4 million trout the state breeds. It was a good way not only for the anglers to help, but also to find good fishing spots. The cost of fuel might have made the trips too expensive for some, Warner believes.

The Fish and Boat Commissions lists its stocking schedule online and hopes more people will go to the site and find a location to help. For example, stockings are scheduled in Philadelphia along Pennypack Creek on Monday — the day after the start of spring.

The weather has been good, Warner said, and stocking gives people a chance to get outdoors and venture into areas they might not have ever seen.

“Most years, we have an abundance of volunteers, almost too many,” said Michael Parker, a spokesman for the Fish and Boat Commission. “But this year we have seen many stockings where it is the just the waterways conservation officer and the stocking truck driver. We still get the job done, but we can’t spread out the fish as well as we can with more boots on the ground. We haven’t had many stockings yet in the Philly area, so hopefully we receive great turnout at places like Pennypack and Wissahickon.”

Without extra hands, staff is limited to stocking heavily near bridges, or easy access points. Even though fish do move through a stream, they can congregate in a few holes near where they get released. Volunteers not only help keep costs down, but spread the fish out for a better angling experience.

In a video produced by the Fish and Boat Commission, Doug Deppen, a waterways conservation officer, said no preregistration or signup is needed for volunteers.

“With the price of gas right now, I realize most people don’t want to drive around another two hours extra, but if you just stop and help us for two or three stops, that makes a world of difference for everyone,” Deppen said.