More Boaters Spending Time On Ohio Waterways

Presented By Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

(Chillicothe) – Twenty-three Ohio communities will receive a total of $576,161 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to support local marine patrol units. Provided by the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft, these assistance funds represent a continuing effort to keep Ohio waterways safe and enhance recreational boating experiences.

“As boating in Ohio continues to gain in popularity, ODNR relies on local community partners to deliver critical watercraft-related services,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “These grants enable local law enforcement agencies to help protect boaters on streams and lakes across the state.”

The 2022 Marine Patrol Assistance grants will help local law enforcement agencies provide emergency response to boating-related incidents, conduct routine waterway patrols and purchase safety equipment for use on marine patrol vessels.

Geographically, this year’s grant recipients include the Lake Erie and Ohio River regions and counties with multiple in-land lakes. A complete list of recipients by county is attached.

In Ohio, 643,862 boats were registered in 2021, which is an increase of more than 50,000 registrations from the previous year. Ohio’s continued boating growth is thanks in part to the growth of paddling sports. In 2021, Ohioans registered more than 310,000 paddle crafts, an increase of nearly 32,000 registrations.

As the number of visitors to Ohio’s lakes and rivers increases, Marine Patrol Assistance Grants are vital to ensuring the safety of Ohio’s boaters. Essential boating safety information is available online at watercraft.ohiodnr.gov.