For Immediate Release
March 21, 2012
Anglers Provide Insight to Improve Ohio River Fishery
Survey will be conducted with anglers in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia
COLUMBUS, OH – A river-wide creel survey of Ohio River anglers will be conducted this summer and fall to determine the effort anglers dedicate to fishing in the Ohio River, the types of fish anglers are catching and the numbers of each species that are caught and harvested.
The cooperative survey is being conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).
Surveys began on March 18 and will continue through Oct. 20. Creel clerks will be stationed at various fishing areas and boat ramps on both sides of the Ohio River from the Ohio-Indiana state border to the New Cumberland Lock and Dam.
Anglers that encounter a creel clerk will be asked a series of questions relating to their current and previous fishing trips, fishing habits and their attitudes and opinions about issues affecting Ohio River fisheries. The interview will take approximately five minutes, and anglers are encouraged to participate in this survey to provide information needed to enhance fishing opportunities.
Understanding what anglers are catching and trying to catch is essential to the effective management of the Ohio River fishery. Information collected by creel clerks will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of regulations, assess stocking and better understand why anglers fish the Ohio River and what they expect from their fishing experiences. ODNR, WVDNR and KDFWR will work together to complete this study to determine how to better meet the needs of Ohio River anglers.
Fisheries in the Ohio River along the Ohio border are managed cooperatively through agreements between Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.
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For more information, contact:
Tony Sindt, ODNR Division of Wildlife
740-928-7034
Bethany McCorkle, ODNR Office of Communications
614-265-6873