Reminder for the week: Trout season has begun in downstate ponds

DOVER – To achieve public compliance with laws and regulations through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Feb. 26-Mar. 4 made 1,513 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters and the general public, issuing 24 citations. Officers responded to 30 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 Feb. 27, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers presented information on Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources careers during a career fair at Sussex Tech High School.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Incidents of note:

• On Feb. 26, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested a juvenile from Harrington following a two-month investigation into stolen deer stands near Harrington. The juvenile was charged with two counts each of receiving stolen property and selling stolen property. The juvenile was released to a parent with an order to appear in Kent County Family Court at a later date.
• On March 2, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Kelvin R. Smith, 50, of Camden-Wyoming for two counts of possession of over-the-limit striped bass near Rehoboth. Smith was arraigned at Sussex County Justice of the Peace Court 3 where he was released pending a future court date.
• On March 3, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police responded to a search & rescue for a subject who was thought to have slipped and fell into the Nanticoke River near Seaford. Search efforts concluded the next day, when Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers recovered the victim’s body.
• On March 4, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Midori Morrow, 18, of Dover, and two juveniles, also of Dover, for damaging state property on a wildlife area at the Port Mahon Fishing Pier near Little Creek. The juveniles were released to a parent with an order to appear in Kent County Family Court at a later date. Morrow was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 7 where she pled guilty, was fined $103, including court costs and released.

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

Fisheries Conservation: Possession of over-the-limit striped bass (2).

Boating & Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (1).

Public Safety: Possession of marijuana-civil (2)*, and possession of drug paraphernalia (1).

Other: Operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (2)*, damaging state property on a wildlife area (6)*, duty to sign and carry license (2)*, receiving stolen property (2), selling stolen property (2), and trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (4).

*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?
Delaware’s freshwater trout program is a self-supporting put-and-take fishery in selected streams in northern New Castle County and Tidbury Pond in Kent County and Newton Pond in Sussex County. The fees paid for trout stamps are used to purchase trout from commercial hatcheries. Rainbow, brown and/or brook trout are stocked in selected streams and ponds within two weeks of the spring opening date and for an additional period of time into the season for streams only. There also may be a supplemental fall stream stocking. Since Delaware stream temperatures are marginal at best for trout survival in the summer and no reproduction has been noted, stocked fish are meant to be taken.

Tidbury and Newton Ponds were both stocked ahead of the March 3 opening day. For future trout stocking dates and locations, there is an updated 2018 tentative trout stocking schedule that can be found by visiting this site.

For more information on trout fishing in Delaware, click on Delaware’s freshwater trout fishing program.

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

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Africa, 302-382-7167, or DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913

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