Horseshoe crabs line the shore spawning along the Delaware Bay. DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor is one of the best places to observe this wonder of nature. DNREC photo

Horseshoe Crab Management Effectively Supports Red Knot Population

While this year’s spring shorebird migration has ended in Delaware, with the shorebirds embarking for their Arctic nesting grounds fueled for their journey after consuming abundant horseshoe crab eggs, the horseshoe crabs continue to spawn along the shores of Delaware Bay. The annual spring phenomenon of nature features the ecological relationship between migrating shorebirds that feast on horseshoe crab eggs to help sustain their long-distance migration from their wintering grounds as far away as southern South America to their nesting grounds in the Arctic – a one-way trip that can span more than 9,000 miles for some shorebird species.

Shorebirds more than double their body weight during their brief stopover each spring along Delaware Bay, feasting on the abundant supply of horseshoe crab eggs from an increasing horseshoe crab population managed under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) framework. The ARM framework is an ecosystem-based approach that uses the best-available science to manage the Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population to ensure enough eggs to support the migratory red knot population during their annual spring stopover. Under ARM management, the Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population has steadily increased over the last decade to an estimated 31.3 million crabs, comprising 21.9 million males and 9.4 million females. More information on the ASMFC ARM can be found at asmfc.org.

Delaware allows a limited harvest of 162,136 only male horseshoe crabs – representing less than 1% of the scientifically-estimated total Delaware Bay horseshoe crab population, with the harvested crabs used as bait for Delaware’s commercial conch fishery. Horseshoe crab harvest in the state is not allowed until June 8 after migrating shorebirds have left to avoid disturbing the birds during their stopover. Delaware does not have a horseshoe crab biomedical collection fishery that exists in other states, including New Jersey.

The red knot is listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act and as an endangered species by the State of Delaware. The estimated red knot population that stops and feeds each spring along Delaware Bay has remained steady over the previous 10 years, at approximately 40,000 to 50,000 birds annually as reported in the Red Knot Stopover Population Estimate for 2021 produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.

The USGS stopover population estimate is based on extensive, scientific red knot surveys. Numerous factors affect the red knot population in addition to horseshoe crab egg availability, including habitat loss, human disturbance, predator dynamics and climate change at wintering, migration and nesting areas. More information on shorebird research and monitoring, including the U.S. Geological Survey red knot stopover population report, is available at https://de.gov/shorebirds.

The DuPont Nature Center managed by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife located near Slaughter Beach provides great views from the center’s large deck overlooking the Mispillion Harbor of a variety of wildlife, including seasonally spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, including the red knot. More information is available from the DuPont Nature Center at de.gov/dnc, where the center’s Mispillion Harbor Cam can be accessed for live views of wildlife visiting the area.

For more information on horseshoe crabs, contact the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Fisheries section at 302-739-9914. For more information on shorebirds, including red knot, contact the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife section at 302-739-9912.

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

Statewide Youth Fishing Tournament winner Onna Crowley, center, with OFC Callie Crouse, left, and Sr. Cpl. Adam Rourk, right, caught 18.8 pounds of fish from Lums Pond.

Tournament Marks 36th Year of Introducing Youth to Sport of Fishing

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control today announced the winners of the Delaware Natural Resources Police’s 36th annual Youth Fishing Tournament, held Saturday, June 4. After remotely-reported catch-and-release competitions the last two years due to the pandemic, the tournament returned with on-site tournament weighmasters at three locations across the state attended by more than 200 youth anglers: Ingrams Pond in Sussex County, Akridge Scout Reservation in Kent County, and Lums Pond in New Castle County.

Tournament participants ages 4 through 15 weighed their catches as they competed for the title of overall state winner along with trying to land each county’s top catch and age group titles. The overall winner and champion this year was Onna Crowley, age 13, of Clayton, who caught 18.80 pounds of fish at Lums Pond, including the biggest fish caught of the day, a 12.1-pound carp.

This year’s county winners and the overall statewide winner will be invited to a special trophy presentation on Governor’s Day at the 2022 Delaware State Fair in Harrington.

New Castle County Winners

Other New Castle County winners at Lums Pond, by age group and total weight of fish caught, were:

Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Myracle White, 2.29 pounds
Second place – Claire Baron, 2.23 pounds
Third place – Michael Hopkins, 0.93 pounds

Ages 8 through 11:
First place – Gabriel Alfaro, 12.14 pounds
Second place – Ace Ginevan, 3.32 pounds
Third place – Ava Ginevan, 1.36 pounds

Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Russell Reed, 7.92 pounds
Second place – Tyler Harvell, 2.82 pounds
Third place – Cody Wiseman, 2.55 pounds

Kent County Winners

At Akridge Scout Reservation, Dominic Webb was the day’s overall winner with a total of 5.25 pounds of fish. Other Kent County winners were:

Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Kohen Marvel, 2.60 pounds
Second place – Hunter Hickman, 2.09 pounds
Third place – Virginia Wallace, 2.00 pounds

Ages 8 through 11:
First place – Collin Meisinger, 4.45 pounds
Second place – Cole Smith, 2.56 pounds
Third place – Matthew DeCarlo, 2.02 pounds

Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Kirra Noble, 4.37 pounds
Second place – Evan Knutsen, 3.69 pounds
Third place – Gianna Velazquez, 3.11 pounds

Sussex County Winners

At Ingram’s Pond in Sussex County, Brody Spencer was the day’s overall winner with a total of 7.19 pounds of fish. Other Sussex County winners were:

Ages 4 through 7:
First place – Tristen Wertz, 3.17 pounds
Second place – Caden Timmons, 1.76 pounds
Third place – Lexi Briggs, 0.76 pounds

Ages 8 through 11:
First place – John Timmons, 2.29 pounds
Second place – Owen Laux, 1.91 pounds
Third place – Zachary Thompson, 1.59 pounds

Ages 12 through 15:
First place – Landon Elliot, 0.26 pounds

The Youth Fishing Tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation. More information on the Youth Fishing Tournament can be found at de.gov/yft.

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 Contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

More than 120,000 trees have been planted since the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) began in November 2021.

Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) Proposals Due July 1

State agencies and non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) status have until July 1 to submit funding request proposals for reforestation projects through the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI).

TEDI, administered through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy and the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service launched last November. The initiative works with partners to enhance and support tree plantings throughout the state, with a goal of planting at least one tree for every Delawarean.

Planting trees is a nature-based solution to reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, playing a critical role in helping fight climate change. TEDI is part of the state’s comprehensive plan to respond to climate change and supports Delaware’s Climate Action Plan.

Funding requests can include multiple projects and may range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Applications must be submitted to DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 1. Visit the TEDI website for more information about the program and the requirements of the call for proposals, or email questions to TEDI@delaware.gov.

Delawareans can join in the Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative by tracking trees they plant on their own property and inputting the information in the TEDI Tracker, which can be found at de.gov/tedi.

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 Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, Jamesw.lee@delaware.gov

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Rachel Felver, Communications Director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

A social marketing strategy to improve shoreline management is the topic of a free webinar at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 16, presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, in partnership with the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee.

The webinar speaker is Rachel Felver, the communications director of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, who will provide an overview of the strategy involving a community-based social marketing campaign.

Felver’s presentation will showcase how the campaign influences environmentally sensitive actions in relation to shoreline management, specifically with living shorelines. The webinar will highlight how shoreline degradation has a direct and negative impact on water quality, while natural shoreline protection provides more resilience against climate change. The webinar presenter will focus on the materials, preparation and outcomes of the Chesapeake Bay specific marketing strategy. Additionally, the lecture will review the project findings, share the toolkits created, and ask for assistance in helping identify the best methods to put this information into the hands of those who could use it.

The webinar is part of an ongoing virtual series offered by the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee, a work group dedicated to facilitating the understanding, peer review and implementation of living shoreline strategy within the state. DNREC’s participation is represented by the DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment program and the DNREC Coastal Training program.

For more information, visit Delaware Living Shorelines. Registration for the webinar and more information about it are also available on the DNREC events and meetings calendar at de.gov/DNRECmeetings.

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 Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

45-Day U.S. EPA Review Required Before Permit Renewal Is Granted

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has developed a proposed air pollution permit renewal for the Delaware City Refining Company (DCRC). DNREC will submit the proposed federal Clean Air Act (CAA) Title V major source air pollution permit renewal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a 45-day EPA review period before DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin can grant the final air permit for DCRC’s Delaware City refinery.

“It is important to facilities to have up-to-date permits to operate under because the permit documents how they must operate to remain in compliance with applicable air regulations,” Secretary Garvin said after approving DCRC’s permit application that led to DNREC’s development of the proposed DCRC CAA Title V permit renewal.

DNREC held a public hearing on July 14, 2020 for DCRC’s draft Title V air pollution permit renewal, with comments accepted through July 31, 2020. The proposed permit renewal has incorporated applicable requirements of Delaware Air Regulation 1102 permits for the refinery’s Ethanol Marketing Project; elimination of the maximum data capture requirements from the crude nitrogen oxides (NOx) continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS); incorporation of requirements from a consent decree issued to a previous owner of the facility in “United States of America et al., v. Motiva Enterprises LLC, No. H-01-0978”; replacement of the EPA’s Tanks 4.09 requirement with the Tanks ESP Pro Version; and modification of short-term NOx limits per the July 2019 settlement agreement between DNREC and DCRC.

The Department received extensive comments on the draft permit renewal and responded to the comments in a technical response memo (TRM) from the DNREC Division of Air Quality. The TRM is posted as an attachment to the hearing officer’s report with the DNREC’s Secretary Order at https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/secretarys-orders/permitting/. The TRM also discusses revisions to be made to the draft permit renewal as a result of comments the Department received. Information presented at the Delaware City Refining Company public hearing and comments received at the hearing and during the public comment period can be found at dnrec.delaware.gov.

Upon receipt of DNREC’s proposed Title V permit renewal for DCRC, the U.S. EPA will begin reviewing it. Questions about the EPA’s review process can be directed to Mary Cate Opila, Air Permits Branch Chief, EPA Region III, email: opila.marycate@epa.gov.

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 Air Quality monitors and regulates all emissions to the air. 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