Tournament marks the start of National Fishing & Boating Week June 4-12; entry forms online

DOVER – As part of their activities for National Fishing and Boating Week (June 4-12), Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police will hold their 30th Annual Delaware Youth Fishing Tournament from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 4 at Ingrams Pond near Millsboro, Wyoming Pond in Wyoming and at the dog training area of Lums Pond State Park near Bear.

The tournament is open to youths ages 4 through 15. An adult must accompany youngsters under age 12 and contestants must bring their own fishing equipment. Prizes will be awarded at 1:30 p.m. in three age groups: 4 through 7, 8 through 11 and 12 through 15. The tournament is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to arrive before 10 a.m. to register for the tournament.

The tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release angling approach to conservation.

“Since the tournament’s first year in ‘86, this event has grown tremendously and has introduced more than 200 youths each year to sport fishing,” said Sgt. John McDerby of the Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, which sponsors the tournament.

In addition to the fishing tournament celebrating the start of National Fishing and Boating Week, the Division of Fish & Wildlife has designated June 4 and 5 as free fishing days when anyone may fish in Delaware waters without a fishing license.

Anglers are reminded that even though they don’t need a license to fish on those two days, those who are age 16 and older are still required to obtain a free Fisherman Identification Network (F.I.N.) number, available online at www.delaware-fin.com or by calling 1-800-432-9228. Anglers also are required to comply with Delaware’s fishing regulations, including size and daily catch limits.

For more information on the Youth Fishing Tournament, including the registration form, please call 302-739-9913 or click 2016 Youth Fishing Tournament.

The Youth Fishing Tournament is part of Delaware’s Children in Nature Initiative, a statewide effort to improve environmental literacy in Delaware, create opportunities for children to participate in enriching outdoor experiences, combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles. Delaware’s multi-agency initiative, which partners state and federal agencies with community organizations, is part of the national No Child Left Inside program.

Media Contacts: Sgt. John McDerby, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 192

To make it a safer Memorial Day holiday weekend, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police advise boaters to stay sober

DOVER – For the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind boaters that drinking and boating don’t mix – and that boat operators with blood alcohol levels of .08 or higher risk facing charges for operating under the influence (OUI), as well as putting themselves, their passengers and other boaters in Delaware waters at risk.

“Just like driving a road vehicle, operating a boat with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher is in violation of Delaware and federal laws,” said Sgt. John McDerby of F&W Natural Resources Police, noting that marine patrols are increased over the holiday weekend to ensure safe boating and public safety. “Boat operators found at or above the legal limit will find their voyage terminated, will be arrested and may have their vessel impounded. Boat operators under the influence also can face fines and potential jail time.”

According to national statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard, alcohol use is a leading contributing factor to fatal boating accidents. Nationally in 2015, 306 accidents involved alcohol use and resulted in 122 deaths and 258 injuries.

“Drinking while boating is a choice. The best way to minimize the risk of an accident is to make the wiser choice – don’t drink and boat,” said Sgt. McDerby. “Environmental stressors aboard a boat – such as constant motion, heat, sun glare and dehydration – all enhance the effects of any amount of alcohol. Because of this, we strongly recommend that boat operators not consume alcohol, and we encourage having a non-drinking designated boat operator.”

Other tips for recreational boaters to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend include:

• Exercise patience and courtesy at crowded boat ramps and docks.
• Observe all “Slow No Wake” areas.
• Maintain a lookout for and keep a safe distance from other vessels.
• Avoid traveling at unsafe speeds.
• Keep your speed down and use extra caution in congested areas.
• Make sure children 12 and younger are wearing life jackets while underway as required by law.
• Wear your life jacket and encourage all your passengers 13 and older to wear them also.
• Check navigation lights and make sure to turn them on when operating at night.
• Carry your Boating Education Card and all required safety equipment appropriate for your size vessel.
• Canoes, kayaks and paddle boards are considered vessels, and passengers are required to have a life jacket on board and carry a whistle or other sound-producing device. If out after sunset, a flashlight is also required.

For access to the online Delaware Boating Handbook and other safe boating information, please click Delaware Boating Safety, or contact Delaware Boating Safety Coordinator Sgt. John McDerby at 302-739-9913 or email john.mcderby@delaware.gov.

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.

Media Contacts: Sgt. John McDerby, Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 190

DOVER – As inland water temperatures rise and aquatic plants emerge, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife has started treating downstate ponds for nuisance aquatic weeds. These nuisance weeds, if left unchecked, can choke the water they’ve invaded, crowd out beneficial plant species and prevent fishing and boating access. Blairs Pond and Abbotts Pond, both near Milford, were treated this month. Other public-access ponds to be treated are Concord Pond near Seaford, Wagamons Pond in Milton and Millsboro Pond.

Hydrilla, a non-native plant that likely entered the state through the aquarium trade, is the primary target of the treatment. The Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Fisheries Section is applying Sonar, an EPA-registered and approved aquatic herbicide containing fluridone, to the ponds where it is widespread. In compliance with new guidelines issued by the EPA, DNREC has filed a notice of intent to use Sonar and has submitted a pesticide discharge management plan to the EPA.

Sonar has been used in Delaware since the 1980s and has proven environmentally compatible and effective for controlling hydrilla. Sonar does not pose any threat to wildlife, including fish. “There are no restrictions on fishing or consumption of fish as a result of these treatments,” said Fisheries Administrator John Clark.

Signs are posted in the boat ramp area of each pond on the day of treatment. The only special precaution for residents is a 30-day restriction from the date of treatment on water use from the ponds. “Residents who live alongside the ponds and those directly downstream should not use pond water to irrigate their gardens, yards or agricultural lands for 30 days following treatment to avoid possible damage to their plantings,” Clark said.

To prevent the spread of invasive aquatic vegetation to other ponds and waterways, anglers and boaters are encouraged to remove all hydrilla and other aquatic plants from their boats, trailers and gear before leaving the boat ramp area, said Clark.

In the case of state-managed ponds used for crop irrigation, such as Griffith Lake, farmers who irrigate from them are contacted prior to treatment to ensure that the 30-day after-treatment water-use restriction will not negatively impact their agricultural activities. In some cases, Fish & Wildlife-managed ponds cannot be treated due to agricultural water needs.

The Division of Fish & Wildlife treats only state-managed ponds that allow public access for anglers, since the treatment work is funded through the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program and state fishing license funds. While the Division of Fish & Wildlife does not treat private ponds, it can provide a list of businesses licensed in Delaware to treat nuisance aquatic weeds. For more information on treatment of state-managed ponds, please call the Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

Residents also are reminded that in order to use water from Delaware’s freshwater ponds, an annual permit from DNREC’s Division of Water is required. Residents who have these permits will receive individual advance notice of the upcoming pond treatments.

For information on obtaining an irrigation permit from the Division of Water, please call Bill Cocke, Water Allocation Section, at 302-739-9945. More information can be found on the DNREC website at Water Supply. For the permit application, scroll down and click the link to “Short Form.”

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 186

REHOBOTH BEACH – DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested a Sussex County man May 19 for multiple commercial crabbing violations on the Inland Bays.

John L. Fabryka, 53, of Ocean View, was charged with one count of unlawful commercial crabbing in a non-commercial area, 10 counts of tending more than two recreational crab pots, 10 counts of improperly marked recreational crab pots and six counts of failure to tend recreational crab pots at least once within required 72-hour timeframe.

Fabryka pled guilty to all charges in Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown and was fined $2,558, including court costs. In addition to the fines, he received a court order prohibiting him from crabbing in the Inland Bays for one year.

The blue crab is Delaware’s most valuable commercial species – more than six times the value of all other commercial fisheries combined. The Division of Fish & Wildlife works to conserve this valuable resource for commercial and recreational crabbers who abide by laws and regulations structured to more effectively manage the fishery.

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.

Media Contacts: Sgt. John McDerby, Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 183

Reminder for the week: Wearing lifejackets saves lives in boating emergencies

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, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between May 9-15 made 1,042 contacts with anglers, boaters, hunters and the general public, including 97 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 47 complaints and issued 27 citations, one of which was related to the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail, where there is an increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence.

An incident of note:

• On May 13, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited Jeffrey L. Valentine, 47, of Perryville, Md., for two counts of setting illegal body-gripping traps to remove groundhogs from a property near Wilmington. Valentine was issued a mandatory appearance at a later date in Justice of the Peace Court 9 in Middletown. If found guilty on both counts, Valentine faces $500 in fines, not including court costs.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Setting illegal body-gripping traps (2), hunting wild turkey without a permit (1), and operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (1)*.

Fisheries Conservation: Unlicensed fishing (14), possession of undersized blue crabs (1), possession of egg-bearing female blue crab (1), recreational crab pot tampering (1), and improperly marked recreational crab pot (1).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (3), inattentive operation of a vessel (1), and no boating safety certificate (1).

* Citation issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind spring boaters and anglers of the importance of carrying and wearing lifejackets when boating the state’s waterways. In Delaware, lifejackets are the law – and the law requires that owners/operators of recreational vessels carry one readily-accessible lifejacket for each person aboard, and that children age 12 and younger wear a lifejacket while underway in any vessel on Delaware waters. Minimum fine for violations: $76.50.

“Statistics show that where cause of death was known, 76 percent of fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported lifejacket usage, 85 percent were not wearing a lifejacket,” said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police boating safety coordinator. “Like seatbelts in automobiles, we know without question that lifejackets save lives.”

“Vessel operators are responsible to make sure that children aboard their boat are wearing lifejackets – and they can set the example by also wearing one,” Sgt. McDerby said.“Although the law does not require ages 13 and older to wear a lifejacket, we strongly recommend lifejacket use by everyone aboard a vessel in Delaware waters, especially anyone with limited swimming skills. It’s a smart choice that can prevent an unnecessary tragedy.”

Sgt. McDerby added these tips:

• If you fall overboard or capsize, stay with your boat for a better chance of being found sooner.
• Keep your cell phone in a secure pocket and sealed in a plastic bag.
• Carry a personal-position locator beacon, a personal emergency locator light and/or flares, and a whistle to make noise and attract the attention of rescuers.
• Pack a set of dry clothing in a sealed plastic bag.
• File a “float plan” with a responsible friend or family member. Include a description of your boat, when you plan to head out, who is going with you, where you plan to go and when you plan to return.

“Filing a float plan is always a good idea, because unforeseen circumstances can hit boaters in any season at any time, including a storm, engine problems, swamping, and injuries or other health issues,” Sgt. McDerby said. “With your plans in hand, a friend or family member can call for help if you’re overdue and tell searchers where to begin looking for you, saving precious time.”

For more information on safe boating practices in Delaware, including access to the online Delaware Boating Handbook, please click Delaware Boating Safety, or contact Boating Safety Coordinator Sgt. John McDerby at 302-739-9913 or email john.mcderby@delaware.gov. To download a float plan form, click here.

Anglers, be AWARE:
The Division of Fish & Wildlife has received a number of calls recently from anglers who thought they were buying a Delaware fishing license from the website fishinglicense.org when they made a purchase from that site. The private, unaffiliated website does NOT sell licenses, but sells information about fishing and how to obtain fishing licenses for $19.99 – the same information that is readily available for free on the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s website. Delaware fishing licenses, meanwhile, are sold online ONLY on the Division of Fish & Wildlife website, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and by authorized license agents statewide. ONLY the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s website is authorized to sell Delaware fishing and hunting licenses online.

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.

Media Contacts: Sgt. John McDerby, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 181