Reminder for the week: Time to purchase your 2016 Delaware fishing license

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 Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Jan. 25-31 made 1,052 contacts with anglers, boaters, hunters and the general public, including 62 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 42 complaints and issued 20 citations, three of which were related to the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail, where there is an increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence.

Items of particular note:

• On Jan. 31, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Aaron R. Proden, 44, of Millsboro, and charged him with one count each of operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol (OUI) and operating an unregistered vessel at the Lewes Boat Ramp. Proden was taken to Delaware State Police Troop 7 in Lewes for an intoxilyzer test and released pending a mandatory court appearance at a later date.
• On Jan. 30, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited Scott D. Melson, 47, of Smyrna, for one count of hunting migratory waterfowl with prohibited lead shot near Smyrna; on Jan. 26, Melson was cited for one count of hunting deer with a shotgun during muzzleloader season in the same area. Melson was fined $107, including court costs, for the waterfowl charge, and $165, including court costs, for the deer charge.

Citations issued this week by offense category included the following, with the number of charges in parentheses:

Wildlife Conservation: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (5)*, operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (2)*, hunting deer with a shotgun during muzzleloader season (1), hunting off of an established blind site on a state wildlife area (3), and three federal violations: hunting migratory waterfowl with prohibited lead shot (1), hunting migratory waterfowl without required HIP number (1), and possession of harlequin duck out of season (1).

Public Safety: Carrying a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle (1).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol (1), operating an unregistered vessel (2), operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (1), and no boating safety certificate (1).

* Two citations for trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area and one citation for operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area were issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

Are you AWARE?
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind anglers that it’s time to purchase their 2016 Delaware fishing licenses, as their 2015 licenses expired on Dec. 31. A valid fishing license is required for fishing, crabbing and clamming in Delaware in both tidal and non-tidal waters.

A resident annual fishing license costs $8.50 for ages 16 through 64. Anglers under the age of 16 and residents age 65 and older are not required to purchase fishing licenses in Delaware. Some requirements differ for non-resident anglers. Exempt persons may purchase fishing licenses if they so choose to help support fisheries management in Delaware.

Recreational anglers 16 years and older fishing Delaware waters also are required to obtain a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (F.I.N.) number; this number is generated automatically on all individual fishing licenses sold through Delaware’s electronic licensing system. License-exempt anglers, including Delaware residents 65 and older; non-resident boat fishing license holders who do not have an individual license; and individuals fishing on licensed boats who do not have an individual license, must obtain their free F.I.N. number by visiting www.delaware-fin.com or calling 800-432-9228 toll-free.

Delaware fishing licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visit Delaware Licenses. For additional information on Delaware fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

For more information on fishing in Delaware, click on 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk and from license agents throughout the state.

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, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 33

DOVER – The Division of Fish & Wildlife’s new 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide has arrived with a colorful splash, with distribution to fishing license agents throughout the state, including sporting goods, bait & tackle and hardware stores. Anglers also can pick up a copy of the guide, along with buying their fishing license and trout stamp, at the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife’s main office in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. They can check it out online too – by visiting 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide.

Inside the full-color, magazine-sized guide, anglers will find information on Delaware’s fishing license requirements and the F.I.N. number program, as well as sections on tidal and freshwater sportfishing, fishing regulations and general angling information. Other topics include information on how to participate in the fisheries management process and a marine recreational fishing survey conducted by the Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Although the printed version of the fishing guide provides a summary of minimum sizes, possession limits and seasons, the public is reminded that these regulations are subject to change. This year, changes are expected for American eel and tautog. The online version of the guide will be updated as these new regulations become effective.

“We are pleased to issue the 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide early in the fishing year to better serve the fishing public,” said Division of Fish & Wildlife Director David Saveikis. “We encourage anglers to use it, not only to reference size and possession limits and seasons, but to access other helpful fishing information.”

This year’s guide also features winning photos from the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife’s 2015 Fishing Photo Contest. The cover features the first-place photo, “My First Catch,” taken by Steve Rosemary of Lewes of his granddaughter Cyena Williams surf-fishing in the ocean at Cape Henlopen State Park. Other winning photos appear inside the guide.

“The guide provides a user-friendly summary of fishing opportunities in Delaware, from freshwater ponds and rivers to the Delaware Bay and ocean,” said DNREC Fisheries Administrator John Clark. “Every angler should pick one up to add to their tackle box when they buy their Delaware fishing license.”

For more information on the 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide or on fishing in the First State, please call the Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914. For freshwater fishing information, anglers also may call the section’s Smyrna field office at 302-735-8650, or for saltwater fishing information, the Little Creek field office at 302-735-2960.

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

Vol. 46, No. 30

Reminder for the week: Conservation Order allows snow goose harvest

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 Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Jan. 18-24 made 715 contacts with anglers, boaters, hunters and the general public, including 41 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 37 complaints and issued 32 citations, two of which were related to the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail, where there is an increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence.

Citations issued this week by offense category included the following, with the number of charges in parentheses:

Wildlife Conservation: Unlicensed hunting (3)*, participating in an unlawful deer drive on state lands (7), possession of unlawfully taken antlered deer (2), failure to tag antlered deer (2), failure to check antlered deer within 24 hours (2), and possession of prohibited lead shot while hunting migratory waterfowl (1).

Public Safety: Possession of a firearm/ammunition by a person prohibited (7), failure to display required hunter orange during a firearms deer season (2)*, carrying a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle (1), and possession of drug paraphernalia (1).

Driving with a suspended or revoked license (1), failure to maintain lane position (1), and leaving the scene of an accident (1). (Natural Resources Police processed the preceding charges for Delaware State Police.)

Other: Blocking state forest access gate (1).

* One citation for each of these charges was issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

NOTE: Two DNREC press releases detailing charges included in this week’s blotter were recently issued:

• Georgetown man jailed on numerous charges including possession of multiple weapons by a person prohibited
• Milford man faces charges including weapons violations in connection with illegal deer drive near Bridgeville

Are you AWARE?
DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind hunters that the 2016 Conservation Order to harvest snow geese will open Monday, Feb. 1 and run through Friday, Feb. 5, then will reopen Monday, Feb. 8 and run through Saturday, April 9. The Conservation Order will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 6, for a special statewide youth waterfowl hunting day.

To take advantage of the Conservation Order, hunters must obtain a free Snow Goose Conservation Order permit number, which must be in their possession while pursuing snow geese. Hunters also are required to report their participation and success to the Division of Fish & Wildlife by Sunday, May 1. Participants must have a valid Delaware hunting license or a Maryland resident hunting license, a 2015-16 Delaware waterfowl stamp and a Delaware Harvest Information Program (HIP) number. A federal waterfowl stamp is not required.

To obtain a Snow Goose Conservation Order permit number or HIP number, and to report participation and success, please visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/delhunt. Hunters needing assistance in obtaining a permit number should call 302-735-3600 during business hours Monday through Friday.

The Snow Goose Conservation Order allows use of unplugged shotguns and electronic calls, with no daily bag and possession limits. Legal shooting hours start a half-hour before sunrise and are extended to a half-hour after sunset. Federal and state hunting regulations otherwise apply.

Most state wildlife areas will be open to hunting during the Conservation Order beginning Monday, Feb. 1. Wildlife areas in New Castle and Sussex counties will be open on a first-come, first-served basis with no registration required, except Assawoman Wildlife Area where hunters must self-register at the Assawoman check station. In Kent County, individual sign-in will be required at Woodland Beach, Little Creek and Ted Harvey wildlife areas. Sign-in will not be required at Blackiston, Milford Neck or Norman G. Wilder wildlife areas.

To avoid conflicts with the spring 2016 wild turkey season, snow goose hunting will be prohibited on state wildlife areas after Friday, April 8. Bombay Hook and Prime Hook national wildlife refuges are not participating in the Conservation Order. For more information, please call 302-739-9912 or visit www.fw.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, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 27

DOVER –The Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife is again implementing an annual Snow Goose Conservation Order, which began in 2009 as part of an Atlantic Flyway-wide effort to reduce the population of greater snow geese. Snow goose numbers have reached levels that are causing extensive damage to their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic as well as depredation of the wetlands and agricultural areas where the birds overwinter in the Mid-Atlantic, including Delaware. The state’s 2016 Conservation Order to harvest snow geese will open Monday, Feb. 1 and run through Friday, Feb. 5, then will reopen Monday, Feb. 8 and run through Saturday, April 9.

The Conservation Order is a separate season open only for snow geese and occurs after Delaware’s regular waterfowl hunting seasons close. It was created with the intent of using hunting as a game management tool to reduce and stabilize the greater snow goose population. Last year, an estimated 13,684 snow geese were harvested by more than 730 hunters who participated in the Conservation Order in Delaware.

During the Conservation Order, hunters will be able to pursue snow geese every day except Sunday. Use of unplugged shotguns and electronic calls are allowed, with legal shooting hours starting a half-hour before sunrise and extended to a half-hour after sunset; there are no daily bag and possession limits. All other federal and state hunting regulations apply.

The Conservation Order will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 6, for a special statewide youth waterfowl hunting day. Regular snow goose hunting is also allowed on this day for all legally licensed waterfowl hunters in Delaware, but the special harvest methods described above are not allowed and the regular-season daily bag limit of 25 snow geese will be in effect on this day.

Most state wildlife areas will be open to hunting during the Conservation Order beginning Monday, Feb. 1. Wildlife areas in New Castle and Sussex counties will be open on a first-come, first-served basis with no registration required, except at the Assawoman Wildlife Area where hunters must self-register at the Assawoman check station. In Kent County, individual sign-in will be required at Woodland Beach, Little Creek and Ted Harvey wildlife areas. Sign-in will not be required at Blackiston, Milford Neck or Norman G. Wilder wildlife areas. To avoid conflicts with the spring 2016 wild turkey season, snow goose hunting will be prohibited on state wildlife areas after Friday, April 8. Bombay Hook and Prime Hook national wildlife refuges are not participating in the Conservation Order.

To participate in the Conservation Order, hunters must obtain a free Snow Goose Conservation Order permit number by registering at www.dnrec.delaware.gov/delhunt. Individuals needing assistance in obtaining the permit number should call 302-735-3600 during business hours Monday through Friday. Participants are also required to have a valid Delaware hunting license or a Maryland resident hunting license, a 2015-16 Delaware waterfowl stamp and a Delaware Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, with the HIP available at the website above. A federal waterfowl stamp is not required.

Once registered for the Snow Goose Conservation Order permit, hunters are required to keep this permit number in their possession while hunting and to report their hunting activity and success to the Division of Fish & Wildlife by Sunday, May 1 via website at www.dnrec.delaware.gov/delhunt; hunters may also report by phone at 302-735-3600 during business hours Monday through Friday.

For more information, please call 302-739-9912 or visit www.fw.delaware.gov.

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

Vol. 46, No. 26

DOVER – With Delaware’s spring wild turkey hunting season fast approaching, DNREC’s Hunter Education Program reminds both resident and non-resident hunters that they must pass a Delaware-approved course on turkey hunting before they can legally hunt turkeys in the First State.

Registration is now open for the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife’s one-day mandatory wild turkey hunter education course, which is offered in all three counties in Delaware. Students only need to attend one of the two dates offered: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 or Sunday, Feb. 7, at one of the following locations:

• New Castle County – Ommelanden Hunter/Trapper Education Training Center and Range, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
• Kent County – Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901
• Sussex County – Owens Station Shooting Sports & Hunter Education Center, 12613 Hunters Cove Road, Greenwood, DE 19950

“Delaware’s turkey hunter education course teaches students age 10 and up important turkey hunting safety information, and current laws and regulations pertaining to wild turkey hunting in the state,” said Delaware Hunter Education Coordinator Mark Ostroski. “Students also learn the biology and behavior of the wild turkey, the wild turkey’s history in Delaware and turkey calling.”

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to print their Delaware Turkey Safety Card or have the turkey course added to their Delaware Hunter Education Card, which must be carried while hunting, Ostroski said.

All students planning on attending one of the courses must register in advance. To register and enroll into the course, click Hunter Education Online Access and after logging in, click “Sign me up” and select “Mandatory Turkey Ed.” Students may also contact the Hunter Education Office at 302-735-3600, ext. 1.

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

Vol. 46, No. 24