CLEVELAND, OH -- Professional fishing guide Jim Fofrich, Sr., of Toledo, and the Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc., headquartered in Willoughby, will receive the 2002 Lake Erie Awards, according to the Ohio Lake Erie Commission.
The annual awards recognize one Ohio citizen and one organization for their commitment to the preservation and enhancement of Lake Erie and its coastline. This year's Lake Erie Awards will be presented in October.
These award recipients have demonstrated untiring devotion to Lake Erie, Ohio's greatest natural resource, said Governor Bob Taft. We commend their work to preserve the lake's delicate ecosystem and for advancing the goals set forth in the Ohio Lake Erie Protection & Restoration Plan.
Fofrich was nominated for the award by Paul Pacholski of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association. Pacholski called Fofrich a "guiding light" for conservation of fisheries and water quality in Lake Erie.
For most of his life Fofrich has worked to improve the lake's fishing resources by participating in important studies sponsored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, such as the smallmouth bass and walleye tagging programs. He was active in the drive to ban commercial gillnets from Lake Erie in 1983 for the protection of walleye, yellow perch and other important sport fish.
Over the years, Fofrich has served as president of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, chaired the League of Ohio Sportsmen, the Lake Erie Waterfowlers and the Lake Erie Sport Fishermen, Inc.
The Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. were nominated by Edith Chase of Kent, who called the organization a model for all Lake Erie communities in the area of watershed management. Since 1996, the organization has worked under executive director Tom Denbow to preserve the Chagrin River - an important tributary of Lake Erie - in the face of development pressures.
The Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. is an organization representing 28 cities, townships, villages and counties in the region where they can share information and work collectively on long-term solutions to water quality problems. In addition, it provides technical services and assistance to its members and develops on-site training programs.
Established in 1995, the Lake Erie Awards honor those citizens and organizations that have worked diligently to enhance Ohio's Great Lake. In the years since, seven individuals and organizations have been recognized for their stewardship of this important natural resource. Nominating a person or organization for the award is a way of providing special appreciation to those who work to improve Lake Erie and support the goals of the Lake Erie Protection Fund.
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission, based in Toledo, is comprised of the directors of the Ohio departments of transportation, development, health, agriculture, environmental protection and natural resources. The commission was created to preserve Lake Erie's natural resources, enhance its water quality and promote economic development in the region.