Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Delaware Wild Birds

Hunters, Poultry Owners and Poultry Producers Advised to Take Precautions

Cases of Eurasian H5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) were detected in wild birds in Delaware in recent days, as the bird flu continues to spread in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the Eurasian H5 strain of HPAI in eight wild ducks and a Canada goose in Kent County and one red-shouldered hawk in New Castle County. APHIS is working with federal and state partners, including the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) on additional avian influenza surveillance and testing.

All the ducks found to have HPAI – including five northern shovelers, one American wigeon, one black duck and a gadwall – were harvested by hunters and submitted to APHIS for sampling. The Canada goose was a mortality submitted for testing, while the red-shouldered hawk was tested for HPAI after it had been taken to Tri-State Bird Rescue for rehabilitation. These findings were not unexpected, as wild birds can be infected with HPAI but show no signs of illness. Eight other states in the Atlantic Flyway have found HPAI this year in wild birds, with it believed to be widespread in migratory waterfowl. Wild free-flying ducks, geese and shorebirds can carry the disease to new areas when migrating, as can raptors such as hawks and owls.

Avian influenza (AI), commonly known as “bird flu,” is a respiratory disease of birds caused by an influenza Type A virus. These viruses can infect poultry (chickens, ducks, quail, pheasants, guinea fowl and turkeys) and some wild bird species (such as ducks, swans, geese, shorebirds, hawks and owls), but are known to impact poultry and wild birds in different ways. While wild birds often can carry the AI viruses without becoming sick, AI in poultry is contagious and can make some domesticated birds very sick and even cause death. Avian influenza is not associated with the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2).

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to the general public from HPAI H5 infections to be low. No human infections with Eurasian H5 viruses have occurred in the United States. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165°F will kill bacteria and viruses, including HPAI.

Precautions for Waterfowl Hunters
With the snow goose conservation order in effect through April 8, Delaware waterfowl hunters can reduce the risk of exposing poultry or pet birds to AI by taking basic safety precautions to keep the disease from spreading.

Protect Domestic Birds

Dress game birds in the field whenever possible.
If you must dress game birds at home, do so in an area inaccessible to poultry and pet birds. Ideally, there should be a solid barrier between the areas where game is cleaned and where domestic birds are housed.
Keep a separate pair of shoes to wear only in your game-cleaning area. If this is not possible, wear rubber boots or shoes and clean/disinfect them before entering or leaving the area.
Use dedicated utensils for cleaning game, whether in the field or at home. Do not use these tools around poultry or domestic fowl.
Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning game.
Double bag the carcass remains and feathers. Tie the inner bag and be sure to take off your disposable rubber gloves and leave them in the outer bag before tying it closed.
Place the bag in a trash can that poultry and domestic fowl cannot access. The trash can should also be secured against any access by children, pets or other animals.
Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling game.
Scrub all tools and work surfaces with soap and water.

Protect Yourself

Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.
Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning game.
Wear rubber gloves while cleaning game or cleaning bird feeders.
Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling game or cleaning bird feeders.
Wash all tools and work surfaces with soap and water.
Avoid food cross-contamination. Keep uncooked game in a separate container, away from cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
Cook game meat thoroughly; poultry should reach an internal temperature of 165 °F to kill disease organisms and parasites.

Precautions for Poultry Owners and Producers
Poultry owners or those working within the poultry industry should refer to guidance issued by the Delaware Department of Agriculture regarding increased biosecurity protocols. For additional information, visit de.gov/poultry. Any sickness or unusual deaths in backyard flocks and commercial poultry, should be reported to the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Poultry and Animal Health Section at 302-698-4500, or after hours by calling 302-233-1480 for a disease emergency involving poultry.

To report groups of dead or sick waterfowl, shorebirds, gulls, hawks or owls, contact the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Section Wildlife Disease Program at 302-735-3600.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Volunteers Needed for Christina River Watershed Cleanup April 2

The Moran family with bags of trash they picked up at the Churchmans Boat Ramp site during the 2021 Christina River Watershed Cleanup.

Registration Open for In-Person Event

As part of the month-long 2022 Earth Day celebration in April, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control joins the Christina Conservancy and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary to mobilize volunteers to pick up trash in northern Delaware during the 30th annual Christina River Watershed Cleanup.

Volunteer registration is now open on the volunteer tab at ChristinaRiverCleanup.org, for an in-person event from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 2 at more than 12 sites in northern New Castle County, from Brandywine Hundred south through Glasgow and Bear. Due to the opening of trout season, White Clay Creek State Park will hold its cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 16.

“For 30 years, DNREC has partnered with the Christina Conservancy to focus volunteer efforts on keeping the waterways and watersheds of northern Delaware clean through the annual Christina River Watershed Cleanup,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Again this year, volunteers are asked to clean up debris, like cigarette butts, beverage containers, food wrappers and more, that impacts water quality and wildlife, and ultimately ends up in the ocean.”

Volunteers registered for the April cleanup dates will receive 30th anniversary Christina River Watershed Cleanup t-shirts while supplies last at their chosen site. Registered volunteers are asked to document their findings on the submission link at ChristinaRiverCleanup.org, or they may use provided paper cards.

Volunteers are encouraged to share cleanup photos as often as they like on facebook.com/ChristinaCleanup for a chance to win a 2022 Delaware State Parks annual pass. Each photo post counts as an entry. Information about the 2022 Christina River Watershed Cleanup will also be posted on social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Cleanup organizers will know by late March if the event must shift from a single-day, in-person affair to a month-long event, due to COVID-19. Their decision will be based on the most current guidance from state public health authorities.

Important Reminders for Cleanup Activities:

Know your limitations and be aware of possibly hazardous areas, including along roadways, streambanks, and steep or slippery slopes.
Dress appropriately for the weather, with sturdy shoes or boots that can get dirty.
Always Recycle Right. Only recycle clean items through curbside recycling or designated drop-off locations. Items with lots of dirt or grit attached or inside should be placed in your household trash.
As encouraged by Governor Carney’s Keep DE Litter Free initiative, make every day a cleanup day — not just once a year — by packing a disposable bag and rubber gloves whenever you take a walk or go hiking, to collect and carry out trash you find along the way.

Avoid These Actions When Cleaning Up:

Don’t enter private property without permission of the landowner.
Don’t place yourself in any danger while volunteering for the Christina River Watershed Cleanup.
For any independent cleanup volunteers participating, don’t collect any trash that your household waste hauler might not accept. Tires, construction materials, and metal drums may be unacceptable.

For more information, visit the Christina River Watershed Cleanup website or email ChristinaRiverCleanup@gmail.com.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, Joanna.wilson@delaware.gov, Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Spring Trout Season to Open at Downstate Ponds With Youth-Only Day March 5

Stocked rainbow trout to be the big catch when the downstate spring trout season opens with a youth-only fishing day Saturday, March 5.

Rainbow trout illustration credit: Duane Raver for DNREC.

Stocked Ponds Closed to All Fishing from Saturday, Feb. 19 through Friday, March 4

Delaware’s 2022 downstate pond trout season will open for youth anglers only under age 16 at 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 5, followed by the opening of the regular trout season for all anglers at 7 a.m. the next day, Sunday, March 6, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Fishing will be allowed both days from 7 a.m. to a half-hour after sunset unless otherwise restricted by area rules, with trout fishing open thereafter from a half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset unless otherwise restricted by area rules.

Both Tidbury Pond near Dover in Kent County and Newton Pond near Greenwood in Sussex County will be stocked and open for trout fishing pending pond ice conditions that might prevent either stocking or fishing. COVID-19 guidelines continue to recommend six feet of separation from other anglers, or approximately the length of many fishing rods.

To improve trout fishing for the season openers, Tidbury and Newton Pond will be closed to all fishing from Saturday, Feb. 19 through Friday, March 4 to accommodate trout stocking, eliminate incidental hooking of stocked trout and allow them time to adjust to their new waters.

Each pond will be stocked with more than 300 pounds of 12- to 13-inch rainbow trout before opening day, with a second stocking in mid-March. Trophy-sized trout weighing two or more pounds will be included in the stocking as an added attraction for trout anglers.

Trout anglers planning to fish Tidbury or Newton Pond should note the following rules and regulations:

A Delaware fishing license is required, unless an angler is exempt.
A Delaware trout stamp is required through April 1, unless an angler is exempt.
The daily possession limit is six trout.

Proceeds from the purchase of Delaware trout stamps are used to help purchase trout for stocking the next year. This popular fishery is also supported by federal Sport Fish Restoration funds administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that are generated from anglers purchasing fishing equipment.

Delaware fishing licenses and trout stamps are sold online and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visit de.gov/fishinglicense. For additional information on Delaware fishing licenses and trout

stamps, call the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Recreational Licensing office at 302-739-9918.

Delaware’s trout season in upstate streams will open Saturday, April 2 with a youth-only day, followed by the opening of the regular trout season for all anglers on Sunday, April 3.

For more information about fishing in Delaware, including license and trout stamp requirements, please see the 2022 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form from license agents throughout the state or by calling the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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DNREC Invites Delaware Students to Enter Earth Day Video Contest

DNREC’s Earth Day video contest is open to Delaware students and will be judged in three grade categories: K through 4, 5 through 8, and 9 through 12.

With Earth Day to be celebrated April 22, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is hosting its second annual video contest to educate and engage young people about the importance of environmental protection and inspire them to become part of the solution to address climate change.

The global theme for Earth Day 2022, “Invest in Our Planet,” is focused on accelerating solutions to climate change, encouraging everyone – governments, citizens and businesses – to do their part. The DNREC Earth Day video contest invites Delaware students to produce and submit a 30-second video to answer the question, “If you were in charge of the world, what actions would you take to improve the health of our planet?”

“Since 1970, Earth Day has inspired environmental activism, and it’s especially important to hear the voices of young people,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “This contest is an opportunity for students to continue the legacy of those who came before them, adding their voices to the discussion about the choices we can make to take action on climate change.”

The contest is open to Delaware students and to be judged in three grade categories: K through 4, 5 through 8, and 9 through 12. Entries must be original, unpublished and created solely by the entrant. All entries must be accompanied by release forms for all students appearing in the video, signed by their parent or legal guardian. The deadline for entries is 4 p.m. Thursday, March 31.

Judging will be based on how well the videos represent the following criteria: message/theme, visual effectiveness, originality/creativity and universal appeal. The judging panel for the DNREC Earth Day Video Contest will include at least one professional from each of the following fields: education, journalism, science and videography.

Winners will be announced in an awards ceremony on or around Earth Day. Winners for each category will receive a certificate, a $500 gift card, an annual pass to Delaware State Parks and a prize bag.

Winning videos will be shared on the DNREC website and social media networks. For complete rules and more information, or to submit a video, visit de.gov/earthday. To watch videos from last year, visit the @DelawareDNREC YouTube channel.

Between now and Earth Day, Delawareans will have more opportunities to celebrate the natural world, learn about the science of climate change and take action. To learn more, follow @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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*This news release has been updated on March 17, 2022 to reflect the extended deadline for the contest.

Governor’s Office Seeks Nominees for Delaware’s Appointed Seat on Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council

Nominating Applications Due March 4, 2022

The Office of Governor John Carney is seeking candidates to be nominated for Delaware’s Obligatory Seat on the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC). For consideration as a nominee by the Governor for submission to and selection by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a candidate must be a Delaware resident and must complete and submit a nomination application detailing their fisheries background, experience and ability to serve as a council member. NOAA requires that the Governor of each MAFMC state submits at least three nominations for a council seat.

The MAFMC is responsible for managing fisheries in Mid-Atlantic federal waters extending from three to 200 miles offshore from New York through North Carolina. MAFMC members must be prepared to attend six MAFMC meetings a year during a three-year term, with each meeting typically lasting four days. Council members are compensated by the MAFMC for all travel expenses for transportation, hotel and meals, and will also receive a stipend of $519.28 per meeting day.

According to NOAA’s website, nominees’ eligibility for the position is based, in part, on their occupation or other related experience, scientific expertise or training – and they must be knowledgeable and experienced in one or more of the following areas related to the fishery resources within Mid-Atlantic federal waters:

Commercial fishing, aquaculture or the processing or marketing of fish, fish products or fishing equipment
Fishing for pleasure, relaxation or consumption, or experience in any business supporting fishing
Leadership in a state, regional or national organization whose members participate in a fishery in the Council’s area of authority
The management and conservation of natural resources, including related interactions with industry, government bodies, academic institutions and public agencies
Representing consumers of fish or fish products through participation in local, state or national organizations, or performing other activities specifically related to the education or protection of consumers of marine resources; or
Teaching, journalism, writing, consulting, practicing law or researching matters related to fisheries, fishery management and marine resource conservation.

Applications should be submitted to the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Section by March 4, 2022. For a nomination application kit, please contact the Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov