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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
August 6, 2025




*MEDIA CONTACTS:
*Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Lauren Niner: 614-644-0957






*Governor DeWine Celebrates Opening of
Put-in-Bay Aquatic Visitor Center*
DeWine and others cuts ribbon on new Put-in-Bay Aquatic Center [ [link removed] ]

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz celebrated the opening of the newly renovated Put-in-Bay Aquatic Visitor Center today with a ribbon cutting.

“Fran and I have enjoyed bringing our family to Lake Erie to enjoy all it has to offer,” said Governor DeWine. “The opening of the new Aquatic Visitor Center today really highlights all the opportunities for recreation available right here. Whether it’s enjoying the exhibits or fishing from the dock, there’s something for everyone in Ohio, the Heart of it All.”

“The new visitor center is a great location for anglers and others to learn about Lake Erie’s natural resources and the work that goes into conserving them,” said Director Mertz. “The Put-in-Bay Aquatic Visitor Center connects future generations with Lake Erie’s excellent fishing and highlights the importance of preserving water quality for the millions who get their drinking water from the lake.”

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Put-in-Bay Aquatic Center [ [link removed] ]
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The Put-in-Bay Aquatic Visitor Center lies on South Bass Island in Lake Erie’s western basin. The inside of the center is updated with interactive displays and exhibits that showcase Lake Erie’s great and historically significant fishing for species such as walleye, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch. Additional improvements include addressing longstanding structural problems, enhancing waterproofing, and building an ADA-accessible ramp and entrance.

Exhibits highlight the visitor center’s history as a fish hatchery and features a live fish viewing tank. The displays also show the life cycle of a walleye, South Bass Island’s natural history and ecosystem, aquatic research, and conservation efforts, including Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio water quality initiative [ [link removed] ].

“The Put-in-Bay Aquatic Visitor Center will welcome guests to South Bass Island for many years to come,” said ODNR Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “The visitor center is a great launching point for adventures across Lake Erie, The Walleye Capital of the World.”

ODNR Division of Wildlife used the building as a fish hatchery from 1907 to 1988, raising walleye, sauger, whitefish, cisco, yellow perch, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and steelhead. In 1992, the division transformed the former hatchery into an educational space. From 2009 to 2023, the center was operated by Ohio Sea Grant before undergoing the current renovation.

The $6.2 million renovation project was funded with support of the General Assembly through the capital budget.

Put-in-Bay’s Aquatic Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., between June 1 and October 1. Admission to the visitor center is free. 

*B-Roll & Soundbite* [ [link removed] ]


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*Additional Media Contact:*

*Ohio Department of Natural Resources
*Karina Cheung, Press Secretary
614-202-4756 | [email protected]

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