Residents can grab their poles and get ready to fish — for science.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is supporting the resumption of the community fishing derby at Cornell Pond at 703 Old Fall River Rd, for the ongoing environmental monitoring program for the Re-Solve Superfund Site. The fishing derby will take place Sept. 23 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

A $50 cash award and trophy will be awarded by the Re-Solve Site Group to the local fishers who catch the largest fish of each species. To sign up for the fishing derby, please contact James Saylors, Re-Solve Site Plant Manager, at (508) 998-4796. 

Each fisher should bring their own fishing rod, bait & tackle, and suitable container (e.g., 5-gallon bucket, etc.) to hold their catch. During the derby, fishers will bring their catch to a designated coordinator at Cornell Pond for official weight and measurements. The coordinator will record the fish species, weight, and length, and hold the fish in temporary pools. At the end of the derby, awards and prizes will be issued to the winners. All fish ineligible for the sampling will be released back into the pond