Boy Scout Troop 20 in Palmerton participated in a building project recently that could affect how Pennsylvania's lakes are stocked with fish.

With some help from dads, troop leaders and state Fish and Boat Commission members, the Boy Scouts built 34 porcupine cribs at Beltzville Lake. These aren't for porcupines; they're for fish. They just look spiky.Assistant Scout Master Greg Gruber said the pyramid-shaped boxes of interwoven planks of wood are sunk in lakes throughout the state. The study is to see if fish will be attracted to them, spawn and produce larger numbers of healthy fish.Gruber said that in lakes created naturally, dead trees lie on the lake floor, creating protected areas where fish can spawn. When lakes are artificially created or dredged, the lake floor lacks the dead trees and other protected areas that enable fish reproduction."It's like a bathtub in the bottom of the lake," Gruber said. With the addition of the porcupine boxes, "the fish will naturally gravitate to them."The state fish commission releases tens of thousands of fish fry, or immature fish, into the state's lakes, he said. These fish are purchased from fish hatcheries.If the porcupine boxes work and fish populations grow naturally, then the fish commission will not have to purchase as many fry. That's why they are doing the study."It will change the whole way fish are reproduced in the state," he said.Gruber said Boy Scout Troop 20 has been building fish habitats for a few years now. Last year, they were involved in the whole process from cutting down the trees, creating the boards, building the boxes and watching them be placed in the lake. The boxes are made out of either poplar or hemlock, he said.This year, the wood for the boxes was provided by Cramer's Home Center. The Fish Commission received a $3,000 grant for the project. About $2,500 went toward the purchase of wood and the remainder was applied to the cost of nails, etc.Each porcupine box is filled with eight concrete blocks. This year, the blocks were donated by the couple whose house burned down recently on Hahns Dairy Road in Lower Towamensing Township, Gruber said. The blocks were from the foundation of the house.Every sunken box is inspected by the fish commission for the study. Each one has a GPS unit attached, so it can easily be located. The fish commission lowers down a waterproof camera to view the progress of the habitats.Keith Beamer, lake habitat manager for the state Fish and Boat Commission, said they have seen a 32 percent increase in usage by the fish in one year. He considers this a positive step toward greater reproduction of fish within the lakes.In addition to the five catfish lakes, there are fish habitats in about 40 other reservoir lakes, he said.Gruber considers the study to be a win-win for the state, the Scouts and the fish."For us, it's an opportunity for the Scouts to build something by hand," he said. "And something the kids can know that they did."Josh Reif, a member of Boy Scout Troop 20 said about the building project, "It's good. It's cool how you get to ride the boat and push (the boxes) off."Two porcupine boxes are loaded onto the roller tracks at the front of a specially outfitted fish commission boat. The boat pulls out into the lake and with just the push of a hand, the boxes are sent off the front of the boat and into the water.Aaron Gardner, also a troop member, said, "It's definitely worth the time and effort for the fish, so we can save them."