The southeast portion of Pennsylvania is the most densely populated part of a predominantly rural state. But that doesn't mean all those residents have to travel far to enjoy Pennsylvania's outdoor recreational activities.

One of the main initiatives of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is to provide and promote natural fun in and around water.

"I think we really need to make people aware of all the opportunities around them," said Andy Desko, who's been the outreach and education coordinator for the Southeast Region of the PFBC for 18 years. "We want to help introduce folks to them right in their backyards. There are many accesses (to water) out there. People may not be aware that there are boat accesses near them. I want to inspire people to check out the opportunities."

The PFBC's Southeast Region office is headquartered just north of the town of Lititz, at 255 W. Brubaker Valley Road, Lititz, at Speedwell Forge Lake. The Southeast Region office, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, primarily serves as the rules and regulation enforcement headquarters for PFBC, but it does offer some services and amenities.

As outreach and education coordinator, Desko does work out of the Lititz office periodically, but he spends the majority of his work time in the field and around water.

"I really do enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life," said Desko. "I grew up in a very rural county. I just enjoy the variety of opportunities around here. We all enjoy fishing. We all come from different backgrounds, but we share this love of being on the water. It feels good to introduce people to these sports."

Housed in a renovated farmhouse, PFBC's Southeast Region office employs administrative staff and law enforcement or Water Conservation Officers, who enforce fishing and boating regulations, creel limits and water pollution rules, as well as promote water safety and assist in trout stocking operations. The Southeast Region office also processes boat registrations, launch permits and discounted fishing licenses for disabled veterans, and it offers educational materials and opportunities for residents to borrow fishing rods.

"Our general mission is to protect, conserve and enhance the state's aquatic resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities," said Desko. "We do deliver educational programming in the Southeast Region. We do a lot of introductory programs, like teaching people how to fish and teaching people how to boat."

The PFBC's Southeast Region office is operated in one of six geographical regions throughout the commonwealth. The Southeast Region is made up of Lancaster, Berks, Chester, Lehigh, Bucks, Delaware, Schuylkill, Northampton, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties and is home to a host of lakes; streams; and major waterways, like the Schuylkill, Delaware and Conestoga rivers.

The Susquehanna River serves as a boundary between the Southeast and Southcentral regions.

"There's a diversity of experiences in the Southeast Region," said Desko. "We have stocked trout streams and wild trout streams. There are also migratory fish; the Delaware River has shad coming up. There are paddling opportunities for whitewater kayaking, as well as gentle paddling on lakes and ponds."

"In other regions, mountains and backwoods serve as the backdrops," continued Desko. "We have plenty of fishing opportunities here, but they may be in places you don't expect them to be. There are places you can catch monster flathead catfish. There are a lot of places in this region where you can get into some exceptional fishing; it's just cities serve as the backgrounds instead of mountains."

An inland state, Pennsylvania boasts a total of more than 86,000 miles of streams and rivers. In the state, nearly 850,000 fishing licenses, 350,000 boat registrations and 150,000 launch permits are sold each year, all of which help fund the PFBC.

The PFBC stocks 3.2 million raised trout in 684 streams and 130 lakes in Pennsylvania annually.

"We do see people across ages, from youth to retirees," said Desko. "You have a lot of adults who are starting to mentor their children out on the water. When anglers were surveyed, they said the reason they go out is not to catch big fish; it's to spend time with family and friends, unplug and get away for recreation. They're looking to spend time in the outdoors and reset their minds."

For additional information, go to https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat.