LAKESIDE MARBLEHEAD, Ohio — A public fish cleaning station was dedicated Wednesday at the Mazurik boat access in Lakeside Marblehead on Lake Erie.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources wanted to find a way to solve one of the biggest headaches anglers have once they return to the mainland: where do they clean their fish?
"It's always an issue; where do I go clean my fish? And am I able to dispose of everything in a sanitary way?" ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. said Mary Mertz, ODNR Director
The stations feature multiple cutting surfaces, electrical outlets, running water for cleanup and a built-in grinder for waste.
"My dad taught me how to fish, and my grandfather. If they had something like this they wouldn't have believed it," Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine, who attended the dedication, said.
Access to fish cleaning stations are rarely found for free to the public.
"They're normally smaller, and they're part of a fee with a launch ramp, or they're in a boat club or marina. So there's always some fee attached to it." said Larry Fletcher, the president of information bureau Shores & Islands Ohio.
ODNR used boat licensing fees to install three of the stations along the Lake Erie shore. Others were installed in Huron and Avon Lake.
The Mazurik boat access project cost about $1.1 million. New public restrooms were also built as part of the project.
The upgrade is expected to not only be a draw for anglers, but the quality of life improvements should also bring them back next season.
"The fishing is second to none in the nation, and we are really proud of that," Mertz said. "And so we want to attract and serve our anglers, they're really important sportsmen out there. This facility is one more way that we can make life easier for them."
Joel Wood used the new stations after a day of fishing and said it's a simple process.
"It's a one stop process; you just filet them and drop them in," Wood said. "And then once we're finished, we grind them up."