DNR To Host Public Meeting To Consider A Youth, Senior And Blind Angler Fishing Area In Boonsboro

Annapolis, Md. (May 13, 2011) - At the request of town officials, representatives of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. May 17 at the Shafer Park Community Center in Boonsboro to discuss reserving fishing access to Boonsboro Pond exclusively to youth (under 16), senior (65 and older) and blind anglers. Anyone with an interest in this designation should attend the meeting to understand the process and to offer comments for or against the proposal.

“We appreciate and join with the citizens of Boonsboro in this endeavor to foster youth fishing, while providing special access for elder and blind anglers,” said DNR Inland Fisheries Director Don Cosden. “There’s no doubt that the keys to the future of our natural resources will soon be in the hands of the young people who will develop a passion for the outdoors. We must take every opportunity to help them along the way.”

Boonsboro Pond, which is situated behind the Boonsboro Free Library, was built in 2006 by the community. DNR’s Fisheries Service stocks the pond each year with rainbow trout. The pond has quickly become a popular venue for children's fishing rodeos and DNR-sponsored Backyard Fishing events. Early this year, Boonsboro officials approached DNR with a request to designate the pond as a Youth, Senior, and Blind Angler Trout Fishing Area.

For more information, please contact Western Regional Fisheries Manager John Mullican at (301) 898-5443.

DNR Inland Fisheries management work is supported by Federal Sportfish Restoration Program funds, and by fees from the sale of freshwater fishing licenses and trout stamps. The funds support angler access, fish biology, environmental science, conservation, fish hatchery operations and fisheries management.

Sign language interpreters and accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available for all public meetings if requested at least one week in advance. For more information, please contact DNR ADA Director Richard Allen at (410) 260-8058 or rallen@dnr.state.md.us or visit dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/accessforall.asp.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly a half-million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov.