July 8, 2019

Fishing co-sponsored by state Department of Environmental Conservation “I Fish NY Program”

DEP Police to share tips on navigation, safety and emergency preparedness for hikers

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that it will host family fishing day and a hiking safety class at Pepacton Reservoir on Saturday, July 13. Both events are free and open to the public.

Family Fishing Day at Pepacton Reservoir will run from 10am. until 2pm. The event is co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which will supply fishing poles and bait to those who do not have their own. Families that have their own tackle are encouraged to bring it. 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. Adults who do not have a free DEP Access Permit are encouraged to get one before coming to the event. Participants can get their free permit and print it from home by visiting nyc.gov/dep/accesspermit.

The 5,730-acre Pepacton Reservoir is home to many species of fish, including brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, carp and panfish. DEP and DEC staff will be available to teach participants how to fish and assist with fishing equipment. The event will take place at the Shavertown Bridge boat launch site in the Town of Andes, just off Route 30 on the north side of the bridge. For more information about the event, call DEP recreation supervisor Tom Davidock at 845-340-7812.

The DEP Police Division will also host a hiking event on Saturday, focusing on safety and survival skills for hikers. Participants for this event will meet at 9am, also at the Shavertown Bridge parking lot. To promote outdoor safety, DEP police officers will teach basic compass and map skills, tips for dealing with heat and weather emergencies, and information for avoiding poisonous or harmful plants in the backcountry. A training and Q&A session will be followed by a 2-mile hike up the Shavertown Trail, which DEP developed in partnership with the Catskill Mountain Club. Those joining the hike should bring water, food, and wear proper attire. The hike is expected to finish about 12pm.

Advance registration is encouraged for both events. Registration links can be found on the NYC Watershed Facebook. Those interested in the family fishing event can register online. Those wishing to attend the safety and survival hike can pre-register online.

DEP hosts recreation events each year to support the outdoor recreation and tourism economies in the watersheds that surround New York City’s water supply system. DEP has opened approximately 137,000 acres of protected lands and waters to low-impact recreation such as fishing, hiking, boating and more. More details about our recreation programs can be found by visiting nyc.gov/dep/recreation. An interactive map of recreation areas can be found at nyc.gov/dep/recmap.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than 1 billion gallons of high-quality water each day to more than 9.6 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 $168.9 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 $20.1 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.