Sport Fishing Education Center
and
Aquaculture Facility

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Assemblyman Bob Sweeney secures additional funds needed
to start and complete the Sportfishing Education Center.

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www.sportfishingeducationcenter.com

Directions:
From the East End: Sunrise Hwy. west to Robert Moses Causeway.To Ocean Pkwy (west).The Sport Fishing Education Center will be on your right.
From the West: Meadowbrook Pkwy or Wantagh Pkwy to Ocean Pkwy(east).The Sport Fishing Education Center will be on your left.  You will need to pass the center, then make a u turn and head west to access Cedar Beach Marina.

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"The Sportfishing Education Center"

 Located on the Great South Bay, in the town of Babylon, the opportunity to explore the wonderful world of fishing, awaits you at the Sportfishing Education Center.

 The center will feature an aquaculture facility, fishing museum, library, conference room, activities, events, a rod-and-reel loaner program and much, much more. Adjacent to the center is the infamous "pier to nowhere", which will now lead out to the State Channel, and where anglers of all ages will enjoy some of the best fishing the South Shore of Long Island has to offer.

 While experiencing angling hands-on for yourself, you and your children will learn about the marine environment, the history of angling, the importance of catch-and-release, and the conservation of our marine resources. One visit to the Sportfishing Education Center and we're sure, you too will Get Hooked on Fishing at "Bob’s Place" !

 Project History: The Sportfishing Education Center project is a first of it’s kind in the State of New York. This $1.1 million project is due to the joint efforts of Assemblyman Bob Sweeney, the New York Fishing Tackle Trade Association Inc. and the Town of Babylon (for donating the land). The center will continue to sustain itself  through the continuance of grants, fundraising and the generosity of our supporters. Construction began in November 2001.

 For Additional Information please contact Contact:
Darlene Kurrass at: (631) 587-2873

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NYSF and CCA-NY
Honor Assemblyman Sweeney

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The Sportfishing Education Center by Bill Purkins
This article has been reprinted courtesy of the "Nor'east Saltwater"

Thanks to the efforts of New York State Assemblyman Bob Sweeney and the New York Fishing Tackle Trade Association (NYFTTA), a unique facility of great importance to recreational anglers of Long Island is soon to be constructed at Cedar Marina on land donated by the Town of Babylon. With a grand opening planned for the spring of next year, it's currently known as the Sportfishing Education Center.

"So what's a Sportfishing Education Center?"

It's a genuinely unique concept. Consider the following, from the NYFTTA organization's mission statement:

"The intent of the New York Fishing Tackle Trade Association Inc. (NYFTTA) is to work with public officials and regulators regarding our recreational fisheries. We will continue to voice our concerns about any legislation affecting our business.

"Our organization is the first in New York State that addresses fishery management issues from the viewpoint of the recreational fishing trade. The NYFTTA introduces into fisheries negotiation the recognition of an industry in addition to the presence of sportsmen. It is especially important to promote the sport of recreational fishing to our youth. We have seen that fishing heightens awareness of our aquatic environment, especially among children.

"Other issues this association will continue to address are beach and boat ramp access, to promote recreational fishing through tourism as well as internal problems that may hinder our growth."

Now, bring in Bob Sweeney of Lindenhurst. Assemblyman Sweeney has a long history of supporting issues and causes of concern to the recreational angling community on Long Island. As a skilled legislator, he saw an opportunity not only to aid the NYFTTA mission, but also to assist researchers and the recreational angling public at large. Through his efforts, he has secured funding to make the following possible to make The Sportfishing Education Center possible.

The center will provide an arena for promoting the sport of saltwater angling and angling ethics, including catch-and release-fishing. As the name states, the goal of the Sportfishing Education Center will be to educate, especially children, about our marine resources and ecosystems, in the hope that those who visit will develop a heightened awareness of our marine environment.

The Sportfishing Education Center will also house a fishing museum, exhibiting the progression of tackle throughout the years, and a fishing library.

The Center will also operate a rod-and-reel loaner program, similar to one already in place at the Patchogue-Medford Library.

Also on the premises will be a killie aqua-culture demonstration facility, which will be used to determine the feasibility of raising killifish for the marketplace, in lieu of drawing upon the resource. Killifish are used as bait, as a scientific research tool, and also as a natural mosquito control in our wetlands. One day, this research program may even set the groundwork for a fin-fish restocking plan, helping to replenish some of our inshore species.

The site will also serve as a venue for public hearings and a meeting place for interested groups.

To complement the Sportfishing Education Center, the nearby Pier to Nowhere will be completed to the State Channel, allowing anglers the opportunity to access some of the finest fishing grounds in New York.

A $425,000 Community Enhancement/Economic Development Grant secured by Assemblyman Bob Sweeney represents an unprecedented acknowledgment of the importance of the saltwater recreational fishing industry, which contributes over $1 billion dollars to the economy of New York.

Sweeney has always been a leader in conserving our marine resources. He has a rare ability to combine commerce and conservation, and a recent NYFTTA press release states, "The recreational fishing community owes Assemblyman Sweeney a debt of gratitude."

While construction work was still open for bid as of last month, groundbreaking for the site is on the schedule for October 12, 1999. There are many things besides construction yet to do before the Center can open, including the hiring of a staff.

The Center is seen as a focal point for developing and offering tours of nearby marine resources, as well as hosting educational programs. This rare combination of meeting space, library, museum, audio-visual resources, and research facility, coupled with an on-the-water location, will make the Center a truly unique place to nurture and educate the recreational anglers of the next millennium.

While the initial $425,000 Community Enhancement/Economic Development Grant is to be used for the initial construction of the facility and pier and is to be administered by the Town of Babylon, which will also be responsible for maintenance and utilities, NYFTTA will be responsible for ongoing management, and has addressed the need for an operating budget, drafting an initial annual budget of $127,700.

The money will be used to hire a Project Coordinator who will be responsible for coordinating activities at the Center, scheduling visits by schools and interested groups, promoting the Center's activities, and also conducting fishing clinics with visitors.

Also in the budget is an Educator with knowledge of both aqua-culture and saltwater angling, who must also have the ability to promote the sport of recreational fishing.

The NY State Grant alone would be insufficient to complete pier construction because most work would have to be done manually. Due to the fragile wetland environment, use of heavy equipment is prohibited. When it's completed, the pier should accommodate twenty to thirty anglers at a time. Additional funds to provide lights for nighttime fishing access and bait wells are also in the budget.

The Saltwater Rod-and-Reel Loaner Program at the Patchogue/ Medford Library was a success, and several Nassau, Suffolk, and NYC libraries have expressed interest in starting similar programs. The program hopes to operate in ten locations with fifty loaner combos per available per site, including the Center itself. Offering modified fishing equipment for handicapped use is also a possibility.

While costs will be the responsibility of each loaner location, NYFTTA member businesses will be responsible for maintaining the equipment.

Additional funding to provide for office supplies, computer equipment, and library materials, as well as advertising dollars to promote the Center and the production of a video aimed at attracting school groups to the Center are also in the budget, as is funding to cover fees imposed by Babylon Town, including covering fees for use of the Center by underprivileged groups.

While NYFTTA is composed of member businesses, it recognizes and hears the voice of its constituency - namely recreational anglers - and NYFTTA has decided that the administration of the Center's budget, as well as the hiring of both the Project Coordinator and Educator, will be done by its Sportsmen's Advisory Committee. This is a group of local citizens outside of the bait and tackle industry who have been selected for a variety of skills and experiences to assist NYFTTA and offer suggestions and opinions. It's sort of a Fish Think Tank, if you will. Committee members work on a volunteer basis, and I'm pleased to say that I am one of the board's members.

NYFTTA is actively soliciting donations to help meet the budget by working through private donations, funds from its annual Fish-A-Thon season-long tournament, and also from corporate America.

John Mantione, president of NYFTTA, said that the Center is truly a unique endeavor, and the effort has been acknowledged and praised by national organizations such as UFA (United Fishing Association), RFA (Recreational Fishing Alliance), and CCA (Coastal Conservation Association) of NY.

"The Center will be a year-round facility, almost a world within itself, dedicated to nurturing the recreational anglers of the next millennium," John said. Located on the bay side of Cedar Beach in Babylon Town, the Center will be accessed via Ocean Parkway. Babylon Town parking fees will be in effect from July 4 through Labor Day.

Recreational anglers will not only have an opportunity to learn the How-To of enjoying fishing, they will also gain a history of the sport through the library and museum facilities.

Facility space will include a 33-by-20 foot meeting room, a 13-by-8 foot library, a 40-by-25 foot Cedar Deck overlooking the State Channel and Great South Bay, and a 38-by-20 foot research laboratory/shop space for use by Sea-Grant which will permanently run the aqua-culture facility, and also assist in the educational programs.

Of course, there's also the hands-on experiences, or in this case, just having fun fishing.

With the Pier To Nowhere completed, anglers will have the promises of excellent opportunities to catch winter flounder, fluke, striped bass, bluefish, and weakfish. Perhaps it should be renamed the Pier to the Future.

Speaking for NYFTTA, John Mantione said, "Not only do we have a vested interest as business people, but we believe that activity in recreational fishing yields the best stewards of the resource."

So that's what a Sportfishing Education Center is all about. Some have suggested it needs a more distinct name. Half-jokingly, John Mantione suggested "Bob's Place." Certainly, the excellent efforts of both NY State Assemblyman Bob Sweeney and the NYFTTA organization are to be commended and will no doubt be long-remembered for such a good thing as this.

Remember that the Center isn't going to be there to make money, but rather to uphold what so many of us cherish - recreational fishing. Personally, I'd be willing to raise some bucks for a nameplate on one of the pier pilings in remembrance of an angler or two who taught me how to fish.

Many individuals and groups have expressed interest in helping, not only to raise funds, but also to donate equipment and a variety of services. If you have any ideas or interests in this area, NYFTTA invites you to contact Melissa Dearborn, Executive Director, at 516-385-8284.

 

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