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Grants Awarded To Enhance Access, Habitat, Tourism Along Lake Erie
Lucas, Ottawa, Erie, Cuyahoga and Lake Counties to directly benefit
Sandusky, OH -(FishNLand.com)- Ten organizations and government entities will receive grant funding for projects that will contribute more than $1 million in improvements to Lake Erie Watershed communities and resources.

The Coastal Management Assistance Grants, awarded by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Office of Coastal Management, will help fund a green infrastructure feasibility study, a lakefront revitalization plan, interactive educational exhibits that highlight Lake Erie-related industries and promote tourism and efforts to improve beach quality. Each project selected for funding addresses at least one of the Ohio Coastal Management Program’s funding categories, including the protection and restoration of Lake Erie coastal resources, promotion of sustainable land use and community planning, coastal resource management education and outreach, and research and data collection.

The Office of Coastal Management dedicates a portion of its federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration funding to the Coastal Management Assistance Grant program. This year, Coastal Management Assistance Grants will provide $359,168 to enhance Lake Erie communities and resources.

Projects from eight local entities and two state entities – the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Lake Soil and Water Conservation District, Lake County Port Authority, Cleveland Metroparks, the Great Lakes Historical Society in Vermilion, Sandusky Area Maritime Association, Put-in-Bay Township Park District, city of Oregon, ODNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation, and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission – will receive funding this year (see editor’s note). Grant-funded projects require a match of at least 50 percent of the project’s total cost.

Applications and guidelines for the next round of grants to be awarded in 2010 will be available in September 2009 online or by contacting the Office of Coastal Management at coastal@dnr.state.oh.us or 419-626-7980.

The ODNR Office of Coastal Management works to achieve a balance between use and preservation of Lake Erie’s coastal resources, in collaboration with its partners, by effectively administering the Ohio Coastal Management Program.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

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18Th Annual Kids Free Fishing Day At Wildcat Pond
Saturday, June 6th, 2009. Freshly Stocked Pond Will be Ready for Catch and Release Fun.

Pinkham Notch, NH, -(FishNLand.com)- The White Mountain National Forest’s 18th Annual Kids Free Fishing Day will happen on Saturday, June 6th, at the Wildcat Mountain pond located on Route 16 between Jackson & Gorham, NH. Kids aged 15 and under are invited to fish from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00, followed by afternoon fishing for all ages. There is no charge for the day, no fishing license is necessary, and all are welcome.

U.S. Forest Service Fisheries Biologist Jay Milot will once again be on the shore to offer kids one-on-one instruction in rigging gear and all things having to do with fish and fishing. The morning will also feature a casting event, learning stations covering a variety of aquatic topics, and a small fishing pool just right for the youngest anglers. Prizes for all participants will be awarded at 12:00, along with a special raffle to be held in memory of Eric Swett, a Forest Service employee who loved fishing, kids, and the White Mountains.

The U.S. Forest Service is grateful to these local businesses and partners who have contributed in many ways toward making this a fun and informative event for everyone: New Hampshire Fish and Game, Wildcat Mountain, Gorham Hardware, and the Appalachian Mountain Club.

Kids Free Fishing Day will happen rain or shine. Kids should bring an adult and their own gear. For more information call the Forest Service at 466-2713 (TTY 603-466-2856).

Wildcat Mountain, a year-round destination located 100% within the White Mountain National Forest, provides both exhilarating and one-of-a-kind opportunities to enjoy views and scenery that have been consistently voted #1 in North America. In addition to the ZipRider™ and scenic gondola, Wildcat offers lift-serviced disc golf, hiking, weekly guided tours and outdoor interpretive programs with the Tin Mountain Conservation Center. A seasonal food menu including beer & wine is offered in the Wildcat base lodge with fresh “Lunch & Ride” packages available for individuals, families, or groups. All rates and information can be found at www.skiwildcat.com or by calling 1-888-SKI-WILD.

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Columbia River Halibut Sport Fishery To Close May 29

NEWPORT, Ore. -(FishNLand.com)– The Pacific halibut sport fishery off the Columbia River will close effective Friday, May 29, 2009 at 11:59 p.m., fishery managers announced today.

The spring fishery from Leadbetter Point in Washington to Cape Falcon in Oregon opened on May 1 and was scheduled to be open through July 20 or the harvest of 11,014 pounds of Pacific halibut, whichever came first.

Preliminary estimates and projections indicating the quoted will be reached by May 29 prompted the decision by NOAA Fisheries to close the sport fishery. Anglers will not be able to land halibut into Columbia River ports until the fishery reopens Aug. 7.

The summer fishery will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 27, or until a combined spring and summer harvest quota of 15,735 pounds is reached.

Opportunities to fish for Pacific halibut remain open in other areas of Oregon:

Off central Oregon between Cape Falcon (near Manzanita) and Humbug Mountain (near Port Orford), anglers may fish for halibut inside the 40-fathom line seven days a week through Oct. 31 or attainment of the harvest quota for that fishery. The all-depth halibut fishery off central Oregon is open May 21-23, May 28-30, and June 4-6. Additional days may open in June and July if the quota has not been met. A second season is scheduled to begin in August. The high-relief area of Stonewall Bank, west of Newport, is closed to all halibut fishing.

The area south of Humbug Mountain is open in all-depths for Pacific halibut through Oct. 31, seven days a week.

Days on which Pacific halibut fishing is open will be announced on the NOAA Fisheries hotline (1-800-662-9825) and posted on the ODFW Marine Resources Program Web site.

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