Ozark lakes benefit from grant

Anglers fish at sunrise on Tuesday July 13 2021 in the Slate Gap area of Beaver Lake. The open water of that portion of the lake is popular for fishermen hoping to catch striped bass. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Flip Putthoff)
Anglers fish at sunrise on Tuesday July 13 2021 in the Slate Gap area of Beaver Lake. The open water of that portion of the lake is popular for fishermen hoping to catch striped bass. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Flip Putthoff)

Aquatic habitat projects on Beaver, Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes will see a major boost in the next two years thanks to a $275,000 grant from the National Fish Habitat Partnership.

The partnership funded nine projects totaling nearly $1.6 million established through proceeds from the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Amateur Bass Fishing Championships held in 2021. The projects funded through this opportunity are high-priority focus areas of the Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership.

"At least 25 projects were proposed for these grants from many different states," said Jason Olive, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission fisheries chief. "Our biologists in Northwest and north-central Arkansas worked together to submit a habitat project proposal that not only received funding, but received the highest funding amount of any project selected."

The funding for the project will be used to bolster fish attractor and fish habitat projects Game and Fish has been conducting to fight the long-term effects of declining habitat in aging reservoirs. Much of the natural cover in these lakes has disintegrated over the decades since these reservoirs were established. The new cover being placed provides habitat and refuge for fish and will improve fishing.


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