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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 14-69

September 8, 2014

CONTACT:

deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, (845) 334-7868

Department of Environmental Protection to Host Youth Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir

Sept. 21 outing among events planned for Ulster County Creek Week

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that it will host a youth fishing day at Ashokan Reservoir on Sept. 21. The event is being co-sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, which will supply fishing poles and bait to those who do not have their own. As part of the “I Fish NY Program,” the New York State fishing license requirement is waived for adults who want to fish during this event. Ashokan Reservoir is home to many different species of fish, including smallmouth and largemouth bass, yellow and white perch, yellow and brown bullhead, sunfish, and trout.

“Watershed residents and visitors have enjoyed great fishing at Ashokan Reservoir for the past century,” DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd said. “By hosting and supporting events such as Kids Fishing Day, DEP hopes to help pass along the tradition of outdoor recreation to the next generation of sportsmen and women who will fish at our reservoirs for another 100 years.”

Kids Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir is part of Ulster County Creek Week, which encourages the enjoyment of water and watersheds throughout the county. The weeklong series of events includes stream walks, kayak/canoe tours, interpretive hikes, informational workshops and more. Additional information about Creek Week can be found at the event’s website.

“I am thrilled that the NYC DEP and NYS DEC will be working together to host Kids Fishing Day at the Ashokan Reservoir during the  Environmental Management Council’s annual Creek Week event,” said Steve Noble, Chair of the Ulster County Environmental Management Council and a sponsor of Creek Week. “This event, along with all the other events during the week of September 13-21, inspire residents to appreciate their local waterways – and fishing is one of the best ways for youth and their families to develop an appreciation for our natural world.”

The event will happen from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Woodstock Dike on Ashokan Reservoir. A parking lot at the dike is located on a gravel driveway off Route 28, just east of the West Hurley Post Office. A sign will be posted at the end of the driveway to help participants find the lot. If adults to not have a free DEP access permit, applications will be available on the day of the event, or a permit can be obtained online anytime by visiting the Watershed Recreation Access Permit System page on the DEP website. More information can also be obtained by calling DEP at (800) 575-LAND.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of high quality water each day to more than 9 million New Yorkers. This includes more than 70 upstate communities and institutions in Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester counties who consume an average of 110 million total gallons of drinking water daily from New York City’s water supply system. This water comes from the Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds that extend more than 125 miles from the City, and the system comprises 19 reservoirs, three controlled lakes, and numerous tunnels and aqueducts. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 scientists, engineers, surveyors, watershed maintainers and others professionals in the upstate watershed. In addition to its $70 million payroll and $157 million in annual taxes paid in upstate counties, DEP has invested more than $1.7 billion in watershed protection programs—including partnership organizations such as the Catskill Watershed Corporation and the Watershed Agricultural Council—that support sustainable farming practices, environmentally sensitive economic development, and local economic opportunity. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program with nearly $14 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/nycwater, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/nycwater.

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