David Whitehurst, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' director of wildlife resources, said he has not been given permission to hire the seasonal employees he'll need to staff the hatcheries this spring.
"We made the request to fill these positions, and as of this date, we have not received permission to do so," Whitehurst said.
"What we normally do is hire hourly people from the local area to come in and help us collect the fish, help maintain the hatchery, and do the treatments that need to take place around the clock," he said.
The Vic Thomas hatchery in Campbell County stocks striped bass at several lakes, including Smith Mountain Lake. Whitehurst said any lack of manpower could result in fewer stripers at the lake.
He also said that if the state doesn't give him permission to hire seasonal help in Campbell County, he plans to move the spawning and hatching part of the operation to another hatchery in King & Queen County.
Whitehurst admitted that option would likely cost more money in areas such as transporting the fish to and from Campbell County.
The Vic Thomas hatchery, named in honor of long time 17th District House of Delegates representative in Roanoke, Vic Thomas, stocks hundreds of thousands of stripers in commonwealth lakes every year.
Whitehurst said part of his concern is that, this time last year, he believes the commonwealth had already given him permission to hire.
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