Department of Environmental Protection Announces Family Fishing Day at Pepacton Reservoir

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

Photos from last year’s fishing day at Pepacton Reservoir can be found on DEP’s Flickr page

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that it will host Family Fishing Day at Pepacton Reservoir on May 27. The event is being 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 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking will be located 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.

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 $20.7 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year.