PENNSYLVANIA

PENNSYLVANIA
Trout stocking
The Pennsylvania Fish & amp; Boat Commission will be doing pre-season trout stocking in streams in or near Mercer County over the next six weeks.
The locations are: Tuesday: Coolspring and Mill creeks. Meet at Routes 62 and I-79 at 10:15 a.m.; Saturday: Neshannock Creek: Meet at the bridge in Volant at 1 p.m.; March 10: Little Shenango River. Meet at Routes 358 and I-79 at 10:30 a.m.; March 11: Pine Run, Yellow Creek and West Branch of Little Neshannock Creek. Meet at Route 62 and I-79 at 10 a.m.; March 23: Sandy Creek. Meet at Routes 62 and 965 at 10:30 a.m.; April 5: Shenango River. Meet at the twin bridges in Sharpsville at 10:45 a.m.; April 6: North Deer Creek. Meet at Route 173 in Milledgeville at 10:30 a.m.; April 14: Wolf Creek. Meet at Routes 173 and I-80 at 11 a.m.
No special advisories for state-stocked trout
State officials responsible for monitoring Pennsylvania waterways and protecting public health report that the annual screening of adult trout stocked for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission indicates no special consumption advisories are warranted. The fish are safe to catch, handle and eat consistent with a general statewide advisory.
All recreationally caught sport fish in Pennsylvania are subject to a one-meal-per-week consumption advisory. This blanket advisory is designed to protect pregnant women, women of childbearing years and young children.
BOATING
Boating access grants
Applications are being accepted through April 1 for $3.3 million in grants for boating access facility projects on Ohio's waterways.
Grants are available to local communities for various projects, including new launch ramps, docks and improvements or repairs to existing boating facilities. The program, which is funded through the Ohio Waterways Safety Fund and administered by the ODNR Division of Watercraft, has provided nearly $60 million for boating access projects since 1960.
Additional information and applications is available at ohiodnr.com and by calling (614) 265-6443.
OHIO
Black bear sightingsdecreased during 2003
Sixty-five black bear sightings were reported in 29 Ohio counties last year, a decrease from the record 165 reported in 2002, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Of the 65 sightings, 18 were confirmed by division personnel. The confirmed sightings were in 15 counties and involved about 15 different black bears, the Division of Wildlife reports.
In 2002, state wildlife officials confirmed 58 sightings. Wildlife biologists cite two reasons for the decline, including the fact that a single bear can be the source of several sightings, as was the case in 2002, when one particular nuisance bear was spotted 35 times throughout the southern half of Ohio. And last year, a tremendous berry crop provided the bears with a nearby food source, giving them less reason to roam.
A majority of last year's sightings occurred from May through July, which coincided with the peak of black bear breeding. Most of the 29 counties with bear sightings were in northeastern and southeastern Ohio, with Geauga County leading the state with nine reported sightings. Ashtabula and Lake counties followed with five sightings each. Ashtabula and Trumbull counties each had a report of a sow with cubs.
FISHING
Lakes Trail schedule
The Lakes Tournament Trail (Bass Fishing) schedule for 2004 includes: April 18, Mosquito; May 16, Portage; June 13, Salt Fork; July 11, Mosquito; Aug. 15, Berlin; Sept. 12, West Branch; Sept. 25, 26, championship at Lake Chatauqua, N.Y.
The tournament features payback to 10 places, $1,000 through $200 for 10th, $1,000 for big bass and $500 for second-place big bass, plaques for each event and a point champion. Entry is $100 per event.
For information call (330) 825-5702 evenings or check www.geocities.com/lakestrail.