Lack Of Volunteers May Doom Cooperative Nursery

By Bob Frye, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, April 8, 2012

Finally, someone understood.

Art Grguric was reading a story in the Tribune-Review several weeks ago, one in which Andy Shiels, deputy director of operations for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, was quoted as telling state lawmakers that some cooperative trout nurseries are in danger of disappearing because they`re having trouble finding volunteers to carry on the work of raising and stocking fish.

That`s the Blackleggs Creek co-op`s problem exactly, Grguric said.

"That story really hit the nail on the head," Grguric said. "Raising money is not the issue. We can always raise money. Raising members is not even the issue. The problem is getting members who want to do some work."

The Indiana County nursery has been stocking trout in Blacklegs Creek for 26 years. A decade ago, more than a dozen people split the work of feeding fish and maintaining the nursery year-round.

Now, that`s fallen to Grguric and just a few other volunteers, one of whom is only available on weekends.

That`s too much, Grguric said. And the result is that, if more volunteers aren`t found soon, the co-op is going to go out of business after this spring, he said.

That would mean a drastic reduction in fishing opportunities. The Fish and Boat Commission stocks Blacklegs Creek twice each spring, releasing about 1,500 trout total. The co-op nursery, by comparison, stocks the stream with about 2,000 fish per week for seven weeks.

All of those fish would be lost just as the Blacklegs Creek watershed – once so polluted with acid mine drainage that it held no aquatic life – is nearly completely restored.

"There`s been about $2 million in federal, state and local money invested in improving the watershed over the years. That`s all led to really incredible improvements," said volunteer Anne Daymut, who also works with the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation.

"It would be a real shame if there aren`t trout in there anymore."

The nursery is asking potential volunteers to call Grguric at 724-972-8675 or visit its Facebook page. On Saturday, opening day of trout season, Grguric, Daymut and others will put fliers asking for help on the windshields of vehicles parked along the creek for opening day of trout season, too.

Grguric hopes that helps because, if not, there`s no choice left but to let the nursery die.

"It`s something good, but it`s going to go by the wayside if we can`t find help," Grguric said. "Guys don`t realize what they`re going to lose."