Harrisburg, PA – Six waterways conservation officers (WCO) from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) have formally graduated from the agency’s H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety and have started working in their assigned regions across the state.
“Learn your districts well so that you can give advice to anglers and boaters who have questions about where the fish are biting and when the seas or rivers are unsafe,” PFBC Executive Director John Arway said during the 19th class graduation ceremony held recently at the state Capitol. “You have a difficult and challenging job ahead of you but if you do it right, it will be the most rewarding experience you will ever have.
“Always remember that we serve the public and our natural resources and not ourselves and that your decisions will be guided accordingly. Our anglers, boaters and other conservationists are our allies and we cannot forget that.”
The new waterways conservation officers, their home county and assigned regions are:
- Anthony Beers, 26, (Butler County), assigned to southern Pike and northeastern Monroe counties;
- Richard Daniels, 30, (Northumberland County), assigned to eastern Schuylkill County;
- Eric Davis, 27, (Westmoreland County), assigned to Greene and southern Washington counties;
- Chad Doyle, 36, (Venango County), assigned to south central Crawford and eastern Mercer counties;
- Aaron Lupacchini, 41, (Carbon County), assigned to southern Luzerne County. Lupacchini also served as the 19th WCO Class President; and
- Daniel Nietupski, 28, (Franklin County), assigned to northern Montgomery and Berks counties.
Before graduating, officers undergo an extensive 52-week training program. They completed Municipal Police Officers Basic Training in December. The training course, held at the Pennsylvania State Police Northwest Training Center in Meadville, Crawford County, covered all phases of police work, from the Vehicle and Crimes codes to use of firearms and conducting criminal investigations. Officers then completed seven months of on-the-job training with seasoned WCOs, including assisting with investigations, patrolling regions, participating in public outreach events and stocking waterways.
The mission of the Fish and Boat Commission is to protect, conserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s aquatic resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities. For more information about fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, please visit our website at www.fishandboat.com.