Grant Helps Boardman Marina Park Get New Fishing-Cleaning Machine
By Michael Kane -Wednesday, March 20, 2024
https://northeastoregonnow.com/grant-helps-boardman-marina-park-get-new-fishing-cleaning-machine/
Morrow County Unified Recreation District Board member Rick Stokoe, left, cuts the ribbon while Parks and Recreation District CEO George Shimer looks on Tuesday, March 19 at Boardman Marina Park. The occasion was for the opening of the new fish-cleaning machine. (Photos by Michael Kane)
Boardman-area anglers rejoice! A new fishing-cleaning machine is now available at Marina Park.
A large crowd turned out on Tuesday, March 19 for the grand opening of Boardman Marina Park’s new Barracuda III, a 5-horsepower cleaning and grinding machine that replaces the old one that wore out a couple of years ago.
George Shimer, CEO of the Boardman Parks and Recreation District, thanked the crowd for turning out as well as the effort made to acquire the Barracuda III.
“A lot of people saw the need and put in the work to get this done,” Shimer said. The previous machine began wearing down a few years ago, he said, causing it to clog up.
“And it didn’t grind up the walleye very well,” Shimer said. “It was tough work to unclog and clean it up and it would stink.”
The Barr
acuda III has eight-inch chutes or inlets in which discarded fish parts are tossed and then ground up. With more horsepower and sharper, tougher grinding teeth, the Barracuda III is unlikely to clog anytime soon. The manufacturer says the machine can easily cut through aluminum cans, although that is not recommended. The machine’s cutting boards allow water and waste to drain into the center basin.
“I can’t tell you how much we appreciate the work that went into this,” Shimer said. “The local fishermen have been dying to use it.”
Lake Erie anglers get fish cleaning stations: NE Ohio fishing Report
By D'Arcy EganSpecial to cleveland.com
It will match the popular Barracuda station built by the Cleveland Metroparks at Cleveland Lakefront State Park in Cleveland Harbor.
One of the most heavily-used boat access sites to the busy walleye, bass and yellow perch waters of Lake Erie, the Mazurik restrooms and fishing cleaning station should be in use use next spring. East Harbor State Park is the largest state park in Ohio.
Restrooms and Barracuda Fish Cleaning Stations will also be constructed at the Avon Lake and Huron public launch areas. Expect that all of the stations will be popular, especially on weekends, said Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec of the Cleveland Metroparks.
“The Barracuda Fish Cleaning Station in Cleveland Harbor has been busy since the day we completed it in 2020,” said Durkalec. “With industrial strength grinders that are designed to last forever, it has been well worth it.”
The stations can handle a half-dozen fishermen at a time, and the grinders flush fish bones, guts and fish heads into a sewer system. Despite the crowds utilizing the station from early spring through late fall, there has been no vandalism or down time, said Durkalec.
“The station has met or exceeded our expectations,” Duralec said.
The Marblehead, Huron and Avon Lake improvements will be funded by the Wildlife Boater Angler Fund, which provides the Ohio Division of Wildlife one-eighth of a percent of the gasoline fuel tax for fishing and boating access around the Buckeye State.
ODNR Dedicates New Fish Cleaning Station in Lakeside Marblehead
https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/news/fish-cleaning-station
The state-of-the-art equipment gives anglers the opportunity to filet and wash their catch right off the boat.
LAKESIDE MARBLEHEAD, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) joined Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to dedicate a new fish cleaning station at the Mazurik Fishing Access in Lakeside Marblehead on Wednesday. The new facility was installed and is managed by the ODNR Division of Wildlife to serve the thousands of anglers who catch walleye, yellow perch, bass, and more off the coast of Lake Erie.
“People from around the world come to Lake Erie to fish and enjoy the great outdoors,” Gov. DeWine said. “This new cleaning station is just another example of why Ohio has earned its reputation as the Walleye Capital of the World and a premier destination for anglers.”
The cleaning station at the ODNR Division of Wildlife Mazurik Fishing Access provides ample counter space for anglers to cut and filet their fish, running water to clean their catch, and a grinder that disposes of the remains.
The Mazurik fish cleaning station is one of three new stations placed along Lake Erie. The other two cleaning stations are at Huron and Avon Lake.
“At ODNR, we’re constantly thinking of ways to improve the experience for anglers,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “I hope that this and the other new facilities make it more convenient for people to take those Lake Erie catches home to their families."
You can learn how to correctly use the facilities in this video.
Marina gets state honor for keeping clean
By Heather Augustyn from Chicago Post-Tribune
Marina is one of 5 to be honored
An effort to keep Lake Michigan and surrounding areas friendly to the environment by a Portage marina has earned it a state honor.
Marina Shores Marina has been named a "clean marina" by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management because of its water protection efforts and protection of aquatic habitats.
Marina Shores, a 255-boat marina located at Dune Harbor in Portage, is the fifth such marina to receive this designation from IDEM in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake Michigan Coastal Program, which began in May 2008.
Dorreen Carey, special projects manager with the Lake Michigan Coastal Program, said the designation means the marina as well as boaters are making efforts to keep pollutants out of the water.
She said they use a guidebook with more than 60 measures designed to keep the marina and water in the area clean.
"There are things that if not handled properly can pollute a marina, like petroleum, pathogens, on-board sewage, even pet waste from around the area could be a problem, so making sure the boaters understand these issues and the marina does maintenance work is important," she said.
In addition to the pollutants, additional problems can occur when boaters clean their boats with solvents that run into the water and when they clean their fish, Carey said, but Marina Shores has educated their boaters with fact sheets and installed measures to limit that contamination.
"Marina Shores put in a state-of-the-art fish-cleaning station so the waste doesn't contaminate the water," she said.
Carey credits Harbor Master Scott Praxl with leading the effort.
"He is the one who really takes the responsibility for the marina, to get it certified, but all of the sponsors of the marina commit to keep it going," she said.
Praxl said the effort comes after years of work.
"It's just trying to be as environmentally friendly as we can. It has been a couple of years that we've been working toward this status, and so it has happened slowly, but this year we made it," he said.
Getting the word out has been critical, as has installing new resources to make it easy to be green.
"Everybody wants to do it and maybe they just need a little push," Praxl said. "We have recycling bins at the end of docks now — that makes it easier — and the fish-cleaning station has helped immensely. Before, we were putting everything in the garbage, and it was smelly and wasteful. But now it is really beautiful and helps to keep everything clean."
Dave Bresnahan, project manager at Marina Shores, agreed.
"We make every effort every day to make sure all of our facilities are clean, and we pay a lot of attention to making sure everything is what I like to call 'Disneyland clean,' " he said. "That's what makes people want to come here."
Other marinas to earn the designation include Hammond Marina, Portage Public Marina, and Sprague Point and Washington Park in Michigan City.
Carey said the designation benefits everyone.
"It's really good for the people who use the marina because the water is clean, and many people select a marina because they know the water is clean," Carey said. "But it's also good for all of us because the water is kept clean for recreation, our drinking water is cleaner, and the water is clean for fish and wildlife."
Heather Augustyn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Copyright © 2017, Post-Tribune
Article courtesy of Marina Shores
Barracuda Fish Cleaning Station: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
This angler was one of the first to fillet his fish and dispose of the carcass in the new grinder.
Extreme grinder debuts at new Farewell Bend fish cleaning station.
Why does a state park need a fish grinder with this power? Because Brownlee Reservoir catfish have thick, tough skin and large bones. That created a nightmare maintenance problem for the old grinder. It worked on the same principle as a garbage disposal: spinning blades that would bind, bend and break. This grinder has teeth that mesh, a better design for heavy-duty grinding and a low-maintenance but effective way to take care of fish remains.
Park staff and anglers are thrilled with how this grinder performs, and everyone keeps their hands clear!