Reminder for the week: Spring ahead of Spring Aboard boating safety campaign
DOVER – DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources, promote boating safety, and protect the public through outreach, education, and law enforcement. To help achieve public compliance with laws and regulations, officers from Feb. 3-9 made 869 public contacts and responded to 22 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public.
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police in the Community
- On Feb. 9, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers discussed their role and reviewed safe hunting practices, hunting laws, and what to expect when checked by an officer in the field with attendees of a Hunter Education Class held at the Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center.
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions
Officers issued a total of 16 citations for the following listed violations related to:
Wildlife Conservation: Failure to tag traps, hunting license forgery, and hunting migratory waterfowl without required federal waterfowl stamp.
Fisheries Conservation: Harvesting oysters without a commercial shellfish license.
Public Safety: Possession of marijuana – civil and reckless endangering.
Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area* and operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area*.
*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 Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. The public can report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or using the free smartphone DENRP Tip app downloaded from the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations can 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 spring ahead of the upcoming National Association of State Boating Law Administrators’ (NASBLA) Spring Aboard campaign for boating education by enrolling in a boater safety course now.
This year’s Spring Aboard campaign will take place from March 17-23; however, courses are being offered now. These courses cover the rules and regulations of Delaware’s waterways, including appropriate speed limits, responsible boating skills and awareness, how to distinguish navigational aids and water depths, weather tips, information about basic engine mechanics, required and recommended safety equipment, what to do if a Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officer stops your vessel, and the dangers of boating under the influence. Upon completing the course, boaters receive a boating safety certificate, which is required to operate motorized boats in Delaware for boaters born on or after Jan. 1, 1978.
For more information, including Delaware’s boating safety course schedule, access to the online Delaware Boating Handbook, and other boating information, 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, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913, or 302-382-7167.