Reminder for the week: Practice safe boating, including wearing your lifejacket

DOVER – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between June 12-18 made 1,905 contacts with anglers, boaters and the general public, including 255 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks, issuing 40 citations. Officers responded to 64 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. An increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and Michael N. Castle Trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police in the Community

• On June 15, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers presented information about boating and water safety to staff at the DuPont Chestnut Run Experimental Station in Wilmington.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Incidents of note:

• On June 13, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers responded to a personal watercraft (PWC) accident on the C&D Canal. The following press release was issued regarding the accident: DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police investigate personal watercraft accident on C&D Canal.
• On June 15, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers cited an individual, following an investigation into the illegal possession of a whitetail deer fawn, for one count of illegal take, capture, possess, transport wildlife without a permit, near Townsend. Donald Grier Sr., 63, of Townsend was fined a total of $165, including court costs and released.

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Wildlife Conservation: Illegal take, capture, possess, transport wildlife without a permit (2).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (11), possession of undersized blue crabs (7), using over-the-limit crab pots (1), improperly marked crab pots (1), and possession of undersized white perch (4).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (3), no life jacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (5), and towing a water skier without required observer (1).

Public Safety: Possession of marijuana-civil (2) and park in a no stopping, standing, parking zone (1).

Other: Littering on a state wildlife area (2)*.

*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030 or online at http://de.gov/ogt.

Are you AWARE?
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police reminds boaters to practice safe boating, especially the use of lifejackets. Delaware law requires that all personal watercraft (PWC) operators and passengers, as well as all children 12 years old and younger aboard a vessel of any type wear a lifejacket while underway. The law does not require wearing a lifejacket for those age 13 to adult on vessels other than PWCs; however, vessel owners/operators are required to carry a readily-accessible, properly sized lifejacket for each person.

“Vessel operators are responsible to make sure that children are wearing lifejackets – and they can set the example by also wearing one,” said Lt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police. “Although the law does not require ages 13 and older to wear a lifejacket except for when on a personal watercraft, we strongly recommend lifejacket use by everyone on all vessels in Delaware waters, especially anyone with limited swimming skills. It’s a smart choice that can prevent an unnecessary tragedy, like the unfortunate drowning that occurred earlier this year.”

The same requirements that apply to vessels also apply to paddleboards, canoes and kayaks operating on Delaware waters. All paddleboards, canoes and kayaks must have a wearable lifejacket and a whistle or other sound-producing device aboard and readily accessible. “Regardless of the size or type of vessel, if you fall overboard or capsize, stay with your vessel for a better chance of being found sooner,” Lt. McDerby added.

For more information on safe boating practices in Delaware, please visit Delaware Boating Safety.

Media contact: Lt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Delaware-Fish-Wildlife-Natural-Resources-Police.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

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