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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18-30
April 9, 2018
deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, 845-334-7868

DEP Announces Family Fishing day and Boat Safety Class at Ashokan Reservoir

Outdoor experts will teach families how to fish at free event on April 21

DEP Police will also host a safety class for those who regularly use boats on NYC reservoirs

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that it will host a family fishing day and boat safety class at Ashokan Reservoir on April 21. Both events are free and open to the public.

Family Fishing Day at Ashokan Reservoir will run from 9am to 2pm at the Frying Pan parking area off Route 28A. Signs will be posted at the end of the access road to help participants find the parking area. The fishing event is co-sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which will supply fishing poles and bait to those who do not have their own. Those who have their own tackle and bait are encouraged to bring it. DEP and DEC staff will be available to teach beginners how to fish. As part of the “I Fish NY Program,” the New York State fishing license requirement is waived for adults who want to fish at the event. Adults who do not have a free DEP Access Permit are encouraged to get one before coming to the event. Participants can obtain and print their free permit from home by visiting nyc.gov/dep/accesspermit.

The 8,314-acre Ashokan Reservoir is home to many different species of fish, including bass, yellow and white perch, yellow and brown bullhead, sunfish, and trout.

DEP Police will also host a boat safety class that day from 10 to 11am at Gate E1, located near the north end of the Dividing Weir Bridge on Reservoir Road. Those who attend the safety workshop will get an overview of rules and regulations that govern access to the City’s reservoirs, state fishing regulations, and state navigation laws for boating. Police will also share information on water safety and boating safety, including a demonstration of self-rescue.

DEP encourages participants to register for these events before April 21. Those interested in Family Fishing Day can register here, and those interested in the boat safety class register here. The public may also find registration links for both events on DEP’s NYC Watershed Facebook page. More information can also be obtained at watershedevents@dep.nyc.gov, or by calling 800-575-LAND.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of high-quality water each day to more than 9.5 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 other professionals in the watershed. In addition to its $70 million payroll and $166 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 $18.9 billion in investments planned over the next decade that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

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