Taylor West, communications coordinator for the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance is an avid multi-species fisherman.

Fishing in Chautauqua Lake is a multimillion-dollar tourist attraction.

At Audubon Community Nature Center’s First Friday, October 2, at 11 a.m., those interested can learn more about the fish that live here and what they need to thrive.

Taylor West, an avid multi-species fisherman and communications coordinator for the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, will give a presentation on “Discovering Local Fish.”

West attended Audubon Day Camps for many years as a camper and as a counselor-in-training. In 2016 he received ACNC’s Ryan Exline Memorial Scholarship that is awarded to a local resident who is pursuing a degree in the natural sciences and is passionate about the natural world.

West used his scholarship toward a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management at Paul Smith’s College. At the time he said he hoped to use his degree to return to Chautauqua County and work on lake restoration.

There will be no coffee served after First Friday, but participants are welcome to stay afterwards and socialize in the Stephanie Frucella Education Pavilion outdoors.

The fee for attending First Friday is $8, or $6 for Nature Center members.

Reservations are appreciated and can be made by calling 569-2345 or going to AudubonCNC.org/Programs and clicking “Current Schedule.” Walk-ins are welcome up to maximum capacity based on current COVID-19 regulations.

Audubon’s COVID-19 safety precautions require face coverings for all visitors ages 3 and up for indoor programs. Face coverings are also required outdoors when visitors cannot maintain six feet of distance between family groups. ACNC is located at 1600 Riverside Road, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren.

The first floor of the Nature Center building, including the Blue Heron Gift Shop, is open to the public Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Because not all of the building is accessible, admission is by donation only. Visitors are welcome to visit the 600-acre nature preserve from dawn to dusk daily to visit the native tree arboretum,