Delaware Office of Boating Safety and Education encourages boaters to prepare for season by taking a boating safety course

‘Spring Aboard’ campaign: Great days on the water start with boating safety education

DOVER – The Delaware Office of Boating Safety and Education, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, joins the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) to encourage boaters to “Spring Aboard,” an April 17-23 national campaign to prepare for boating season by enrolling in a boating safety course.

“Our boating safety education program plays a significant role in Delaware’s strong boating safety record,” said David Saveikis, director of DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife. “As a life-long boater myself, I encourage boaters to learn the boating ‘rules of the road’ and to practice safe boating each and every time they head out to enjoy our beautiful waterways.”

“Though some accidents are unavoidable, we need everyone on our waterways to be alert, use common sense and avoid actions that will put themselves, their passengers and other boaters at risk,” added Chief Robert Legates, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police.

“Education is the key to Delaware’s success in boating safety,” Chief Legates said. Under Delaware law, all persons born on or after Jan. 1, 1978 must successfully complete a boating safety course in order to operate a boat or personal watercraft in Delaware waters. In 2015, 2001 students took boating safety courses online or in a classroom.

“Last year, we had one boating-related fatality and 25 reportable boating accidents, which, while unfortunate, still puts Delaware below the national average based on the relative number of boaters. We’d like to see the number of accidents go down,” said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police boating safety coordinator, noting that to date this year, Delaware has had one reported boating accident and no fatalities. “To help maintain Delaware’s boating safety record, we recommend that everyone planning to operate a boat in Delaware waters take a safety course first, whether they are required to or not.”

U.S. Coast Guard statistics from 2014, the most recent year available, indicate that when the level of operator education was known, 80 percent of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating education instruction. Forty-nine states and U.S. territories require proof of completion of a boating education course for operators of some powered vessels, and many states, including Delaware, require completion of a course verified by NASBLA as meeting the national boating education standard for powerboat rental or operation.

“We know from many years of experience that an educated boater is safer, and boating is a lot more fun if you aren’t confused or worried the whole trip,” said NASBLA President Col. Darren Rider. “Boating isn’t like driving a car, and many boaters – both new and experienced – are uncertain about how to boat safely. The Spring Aboard campaign is our big, unified effort to get all boaters educated. Take a little time now so you are ready when that warm weather starts.” Rider also noted most states offer classroom courses. In Delaware, DNREC offers classroom boating safety courses in partnership with local boating safety organizations, such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons.

Delaware’s 8-hour basic boating safety course, which fulfills Delaware’s mandatory boating safety class requirement, is offered in multiple locations statewide in one to four sessions. Upon completing the course, boaters receive a boating safety certificate, which they must carry with them while boating as proof of course completion.

Courses cover the rules and regulations of Delaware’s waterways including appropriate speed limits, responsible boating skills and awareness and how to distinguish navigational aids and water depths. Also covered are weather tips, information about basic engine mechanics and required and/or 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.

Several providers also offer a Delaware-approved online version of the boating safety course. As an added incentive during NASBLA’s “Spring Aboard” campaign, BOATERExam.com will offer a 50 percent discount to students who complete their online boating safety course between April 17 and 23. For more information, visit www.boaterexam.com/usa/.

Delaware’s Office of Boating Safety and Education also provides volunteer instructors to private and non-profit organizations, schools, clubs and the general public to educate boaters on skills and seamanship and to encourage them to be safe, knowledgeable and responsible.

For more information, including Delaware’s boating safety course schedule, access to the online Delaware Boating Handbook and other boating information, please click Delaware Boating Safety, or contact 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 and 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 dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Hunting/Pages/OpGameTheft.aspx.

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. The association offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, NASBLA affects the lives of over 73.5 million American boaters.

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. 128


DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife to hold May 14 training for volunteer bat spotters needed to help with Delaware Bat Count

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife is seeking volunteer bat spotters to help in locating and counting the state’s bat colonies for the annual Delaware Bat Count. A training session for volunteers will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at the Aquatic Resources Education Center, 4876 Hay Point Landing Road, Smyrna, DE 19977. Weather-permitting, the session will be followed by a visit to a bat maternity colony site for a count demonstration from 7:30-9 p.m. Preregistration for the training is requested and can be done by contacting Alex Heinemann at 302-735-8676 or alexandra.heinemann@delaware.gov.

The Delaware Bat Count is a statewide study documenting population trends and bats that breed in our state. The bat program is always looking for reports of new bat colonies, and for volunteers interested in being part of this important research program. Once volunteers adopt a site, they are asked to count the bats at least twice during the summer.

Delaware is home to nine species of bats, several of which have begun their annual move from winter hibernation sites to summer maternity colonies. Female bats return to their colonies pregnant, and then congregate to give birth and raise their pups. In Delaware, these colonies often take up residence in barns, garages, attics, bat boxes and homes.

Bats feed at night on insects, including many pest species such as mosquitoes. Some eat moths and beetles that damage crops. A study published in Science magazine suggests that bats could be one of the most economically-valuable groups of wildlife to North American farmers, saving them at least $3.7 billion annually by reducing the amount of pesticides needed.

“They’re providing us with a valuable and free service, so it’s to our benefit to have them around,” said Wildlife Biologist Holly Niederriter, Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Even though bats play an important role in our ecosystem, they are often unwanted visitors to homes and outbuildings. A bat exclusion from the building or structure may be warranted in such situations.

It is crucial that bat exclusions be completed before May 15 – when mother bats typically start giving birth – to prevent trapping flightless young inside a building and permanently separating the mothers from their pups, which cannot survive on their own.

For a list of permitted wildlife control operators who can conduct bat exclusions, visit apps.dnrec.state.de.us/NuisanceWildlife/Search.aspx. To review the “Best Management Practices” for excluding bats, go to www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/bats/ and check out the “Bats In Buildings” section.

To report a bat colony, or for more information on becoming a bat spotter or on proper bat exclusions, please contact Alex Heinemann or Holly Niederriter at 302-735-8651, or email alexandra.heinemann@delaware.gov or holly.niederriter@delaware.gov.

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

Vol. 46, No. 130


Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Blotter: April 4-10

Reminder for the week: Prepare for the season by signing up for a boating safety course

DE F&W Natural Resources Police logoDOVER – 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 Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between April 4-10 made 680 contacts with anglers, boaters, hunters and the general public, including three vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 22 complaints and issued 10 citations. This week, with an expanded Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continuing to be deployed as a deterrent, no citations were issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail.

Incidents of note:

  • On April 10, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited Clyde W. Jenkins, 63, of Bishopville, Md., for one count of possession of river herring during a closed season from Broad Creek at the Records Pond dam in Laurel. Jenkins was issued a $107 fine, including court costs.
  • On April 10, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited Michael A. Mccrea, 49, of Greenwood, for one count of possession of river herring during a closed season at Craigs Pond near Seaford. Mccrea was issued a $107 fine, including court costs.
  • On April 9, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited Michael A. Middleton, 18, of Delmar, for one count of possession of river herring during a closed season at Portsville Pond near Laurel. Middleton was issued a $107 fine, including court costs.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Trespassing to hunt (2).

Fisheries Conservation: Unlicensed fishing (4), possession of river herring during a closed season (3), and possession of hickory shad during season closure (1).

Are you AWARE?
With spring finally in the air – and as part of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators’ (NASBLA) “Spring Aboard” campaign for boating education – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind boaters to prepare for boating season by enrolling in a boating safety course through Delaware’s Office of Boating Safety and Education.

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/or 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.

Delaware’s 8-hour basic boating safety course, which fulfills Delaware’s mandatory boating safety requirement, is offered in multiple locations statewide in one to four sessions. Upon completing the course, boaters receive a boating safety certificate, which they must carry with them while boating as proof of course completion.

Several providers also offer a Delaware-approved online version of the boating safety course. As an added incentive during NASBLA’s “Spring Aboard” campaign, BOATERExam.com will offer a 50-percent discount to students who complete their online boating safety course between April 17 and 23. For more information, visit www.boaterexam.com/usa/.

Delaware’s Office of Boating Safety and Education also provides volunteer instructors to private and non-profit organizations, schools, clubs and the general public to educate boaters on skills and seamanship and to encourage them to be safe, knowledgeable and responsible.

For more information, including Delaware’s boating safety course schedule, access to the online Delaware Boating Handbook and other boating information, please click Delaware Boating Safety, or contact Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police boating safety coordinator, 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 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. 129


DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife announces addition to Sussex County’s Midlands Wildlife Area

Conservation partnership with Delaware Chapters of National Wild Turkey Federation helped secure acquisition

WESTERN SUSSEX COUNTY – With the Delaware spring turkey hunting season in full swing, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife – in “calling out” to the future of the increasingly popular sport – today announced the recent acquisition of 650 acres of sprawling woods and fields in western Sussex County as part of the Midlands Wildlife Area. The newly-named West Tract expands the Midlands Wildlife Area, which sits within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, to more than 4,000 acres – all managed for wildlife habitat and public hunting. This year – if a hunter’s name was drawn in a preseason public lands turkey hunting lottery – that would include the opportunity for bagging a gobbler in some of Delaware’s best wild turkey habitat.

Funding for the acquisition of the West Tract at Midlands Wildlife Area came from the Delaware Open Space Fund and a private donation from a key conservation partner, the Delaware Chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), whose mission is to promote Delaware’s hunting and land preservation heritage to the benefit of native wildlife, including the wild turkey.

“Conserving this substantial tract is part of the ongoing landscape-level initiative to protect the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, a collaborative effort involving federal, state and local governments alongside non-government conservation partners such as the National Wild Turkey Federation,” said Division of Fish & Wildlife Director David Saveikis. “It is fitting that this acquisition was made possible with the help of one of our long-term conservation partners, the Delaware Chapters of the Wild Turkey Federation – which history will credit for having worked with the Division in the early 1980s to reestablish Delaware’s wild turkey population as one of the state’s great success stories for wildlife conservation.”

The donation from NWTF’s Delaware chapters stems from the organization’s ongoing national initiative, “Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt,” intended to protect and enhance 4 million acres of upland habitat, introduce 1.5 million new people nationwide to the sport of hunting and create hunting access to 500,000 acres of land nationwide. The Delaware chapters have drafted a strategic plan for their role in the initiative that involves working with the Division of Fish & Wildlife and other agencies over the next decade to conserve or enhance 11,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the First State, help maintain hunter numbers at current levels and create 1,000 acres of new public hunting access.

The timing of the Midlands acquisition fits perfectly with NWTF’s local and national initiative’s goals, noted Bob Eriksen, a certified wildlife biologist retired from the organization: “The acquisition of a large tract of land of this quality occurs rarely in Delaware – and this property is already ideal wild turkey habitat, consisting of mature hardwoods interspersed with agricultural fields,” Eriksen said. “This property, along with other public lands in Sussex County, provides a great chance to begin development of a landscape level program to enhance habitat by connecting well-managed public and private lands and creating a core area of suitable habitat. Expanding the public land base assures the future of not only wild turkey habitat, but also additional wildlife habitat that helps secure our hunting tradition.”

Tom Spangler, past chairman of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Delaware Board of Directors, said NWTF’s Delaware members are committed to supporting “Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt,” by actively fundraising from annual banquets for projects such as the Midlands acquisition. “Facing the overall loss of habitat across the country, we are determined to do our part to ensure that more habitat is preserved for future generations here in Delaware,” Spangler said. “On behalf of the NWTF’s Delaware Board of Directors, I’d like to thank our membership for their support on this purchase, and encourage them to continue their efforts to meet our conservation goals.”

The new Midlands tract includes older growth hardwood trees, relatively undisturbed wetlands along a stream, a portion of the Pepper Branch tributary to the Broad Creek and Nanticoke River system, and some actively farmed agricultural lands. Sussex County Wildlife Area Manager Rob Gano said the leased farm fields have been reconfigured to allow for future wetland restoration work along a ditch system and to create space for future tree and warm season grass plantings.

“We have the opportunity to establish early successional habitat – maintained grasslands and young forest areas that provide food and cover for wildlife – along the edges of the farmed fields,” Gano said. “The addition of this tract also allows for enhanced public access, helps protect water quality and conserves the landscape in rural western Sussex.”

Established in 1973 to perpetuate populations of wild turkeys on suitable ranges for the use and enjoyment of the American people, the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is dedicated to the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage. The NWTF is actively involved in wild turkey research and promotes sportsmanship ethics, hunting safety, wildlife conservation and conservation education on public and private lands for its more than 250,000 members as well as the entire hunting community. For more information, visit www.nwtf.org.

The Delaware Chapters of the NWTF raises more than $10,000 annually and allocates more than $7,000 annually in NWTF funding in partnership with the Division of Fish & Wildlife for conservation, law enforcement, land management, research and a variety of projects, as well as programs for youth, women, and disabled persons. For more information on NWTF-DE, visit www.nwtf.org/delaware.

In 1990 the Delaware Land Protection Act established the Delaware Open Space Program to oversee the protection and purchase of state lands as fish and wildlife areas, parks, state forests, nature preserves and cultural sites.

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

Vol. 46, No. 123


To help reduce mosquito populations and the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses, DNREC urges residents to eliminate sources of backyard standing water

mosquito control logoDOVER – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Mosquito Control Section urges Delaware residents to “Fight the Bite!” by helping reduce local mosquito production on their residential, commercial or industrial properties through good water sanitation practices.

This effort involves regularly draining or changing unneeded sources of standing water that are stagnant for four or more consecutive days – or better yet, preventing water accumulation in the first place by upending, removing or storing indoors any outdoor containers that can hold water. “Mosquito Control & Your Backyard,” a new video on DNREC’s YouTube channel, includes more information on these good water sanitation practices.

Of the 57 mosquito species known to live in Delaware, 19 are problematic for people, either by biting or potentially transmitting mosquito-borne illnesses, or both. From early May through the first hard freeze in the fall, two of these species – the common house mosquito (Culex pipiens), a native species, and the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), an invasive species first found here in 1987 – are common where people live, work or recreate in urban and suburban settings. In addition to their annoying bites, these mosquitoes are of particular concern due to their potential to carry and transmit illnesses, with the house mosquito a known carrier of West Nile virus, and the Asian tiger mosquito a possible Delaware vector for West Nile, chikungunya and Zika viruses.

“At this time, we have no evidence in Delaware that local Asian tiger mosquitoes have served as vectors to transmit Zika or chikungunya viruses to people,” said Delaware Mosquito Control Administrator Dr. William Meredith, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife. “However, science suggests that if local Asian tiger mosquitoes bite a returning traveler who has an active case of either of these viruses, those mosquitoes could become carriers and transmit Zika or chikungunya to those they bite next, with the potential to spread the viruses among humans and local mosquitoes.”

“The larvae of both the house mosquito and the Asian tiger mosquito can grow in a variety of containers holding water in our backyards, so the best way to control both of these species is by eliminating such standing water,” Dr. Meredith said. “Due to the hard-to-reach and often hidden aquatic habitats where they deposit eggs that hatch into larvae, as well as the behaviors of adult mosquitos, Asian tiger mosquitos pose a particular challenge to control through our chemical insecticides or biological measures alone.”

DNREC YouTube Channel Video: “Mosquito Control & Your Backyard”During mosquito season, property owners are urged to do their part by cleaning debris from clogged rain gutters and emptying water from corrugated downspout extenders; frequently changing water in birdbaths; draining unused swimming pools and kiddie wading pools; and by preventing or draining standing water from outdoor containers such as discarded tires, cans, buckets, flower pot liners, children’s toys, unprotected water cisterns, upright wheelbarrows, uncovered trash cans, upturned trash can lids, open or lidless dumpsters, plugged or undrained boats, sags in tarps covering boats or ATVs, or other water-holding containers.

In comparison to many other mosquito species, common house mosquitoes and Asian tiger mosquitoes have short flight ranges of only a few hundred yards from where they hatch, but even this short distance can be enough to infest a neighborhood. Common house mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn, but will also feed throughout the night. Asian tiger mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters, but also feed at dusk and dawn.

“By practicing good water sanitation on their properties, residents will be helping themselves and their neighbors too – and the best results come from community-wide participation,” Dr. Meredith said, noting that means involving county or local municipal governments, homeowner or civic associations, property management groups or maintenance corporations as well as individual property owners in this common cause. “In the fight against house mosquitoes and Asian tiger mosquitoes, we’re all in this together – and every little bit helps.”

“Zika transmission continues to spread to new countries and the best way for people to protect themselves from Zika or any mosquito-borne illness is to prevent mosquito bites during travel abroad and during Delaware’s mosquito season. It is possible that local transmission could occur either from mosquito bites once the season starts, from sexual transmission or from mother to baby during pregnancy,” said Division of Public Health Medical Director Dr. Awele Maduka-Ezeh. “Taking precautions to stop mosquitoes from breeding around your home and preventing bites is the best protection.”

To report intolerable numbers of biting mosquitoes and request local relief, call Mosquito Control’s field offices:

  • Glasgow Office, 302-836-2555, serving New Castle County and the northern half of Kent County, including Dover
  • Milford Office, 302-422-1512, serving the southern half of Kent County south of Dover and all of Sussex County

For more information about Delaware’s Mosquito Control program, including more information about how to prevent or get rid of standing water that produces mosquitoes, call the field offices or the main Dover office at 302-739-9917, or visit de.gov/mosquito.

For more information about Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses in humans, please contact the Delaware Division of Public Health at 302-744-1033 or 888-295-5156. Facts and information on Zika and mosquito control also are available at the following links:

DNREC’s Mosquito Control Section provides statewide services to about 945,000 Delaware residents and 7.5 million visitors annually to maintain quality of life and protect public health by reducing the possibility of mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, chikungunya and Zika virus. Throughout the warmer months, Mosquito Control monitors and treats mosquito populations that emerge from wetland areas throughout the state, including ditches, stormwater ponds, wet woodlands and coastal salt marshes, using EPA-registered insecticides. These insecticides have been determined by EPA to pose no unreasonable risk to human health, wildlife or the environment when professionally applied. The Section also works year-round on water and marsh management projects designed to reduce mosquito populations, and provides the public with information on dealing with mosquitoes, from reducing backyard mosquito production to avoiding mosquito bites. For more information, call 302-739-9917 or visit de.gov/mosquito.

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

Vol. 46, No. 122