Reminder for the week: Start the boating season off right by wearing your lifejacket

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’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between April 8-14 made 2,451 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters, and the general public, issuing 63 citations. Officers responded to 69 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. A Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and Michael N. Castle Trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

• On April 13, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers responded to a reported water rescue in the Delaware River, north of Pea Patch Island. Upon arrival, officers observed a small vessel that had run aground, leaving the passengers stranded. The operator, Nicholas E. Jordan, 30, of Carlisle, Pa., was cited for one count each of failure to maintain a proper lookout and no boating safety certificate. Jordan was fined $189, including court costs, and released.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Hunting with an unplugged shotgun capable of holding more than three shells (1), illegal method of take (1), hunting wild turkeys out of season (2), hunting wild turkeys during prohibited hours (2), failure to wear camouflage clothing while hunting wild turkey (2), hunting wild turkeys without an approved course of instruction (2), and unlicensed hunting (1).

Fisheries Conservation: Possession of undersized white perch (2)*, unlicensed fishing (2)*, fishing in a closed area (5), possession of undersized blue crab (1), no Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number (6), and unlicensed fishing (7).

Boating & Boating Safety: Inattentive operation of a motor vessel (1), no boating safety certificate (1), operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (4), and no life jacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (2).

Public Safety: Possession of marijuana – civil (1)*, possession of drug paraphernalia – marijuana-related (2), shooting within 15 yards of a public roadway (1), hunting from a vehicle (2), and possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle (2).

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (10), criminal trespass 3rd (1), and conspiracy 3rd degree (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 or through the DENRP Tip app on a smartphone, which can be downloaded free of charge by searching “DENRP Tip” via the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030, going online to http://de.gov/ogt, or using the DENRP Tip app. Verizon customers can connect to Operation Game Theft directly by dialing #OGT.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind boaters to practice safe boating, especially by wearing lifejackets. Delaware law requires that all personal watercraft (PWC) operators and PWC 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 years and older on vessels other than PWCs; however, vessel owners/operators are required to carry a readily accessible, properly sized lifejacket for each person onboard.

The same requirements that apply to motorized 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.

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

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/.

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

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

Print