The Augustine Beach Boat Ramp near Port Penn and adjacent intertidal beach located on the south side of the existing rock groin will be periodically closed starting Thursday, Sept. 16 through Friday, Oct. 15 for maintenance dredging of the boat ramp access channel, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today.

During this time period, the boat ramp will be closed from 8 a.m. each Monday until 5 p.m. each Thursday, reopening from 5 p.m. each Thursday until 8 a.m. each Monday. The site parking lot will remain open for the duration of the dredging project.

Weather permitting, the project is expected to be complete, with full access restored, by Oct. 15.

Boaters who regularly use the Augustine Beach Boat Ramp can alternately use the Fort DuPont Boat Ramp, located approximately five miles north in Delaware City.

For more information, please call the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

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 65,000 acres of public land. 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

###

Registration Office to Open for Limited Services by Appointment Only

As boating season gets underway, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control reminds boaters that most boat registration services are online and accessible from the DNREC website. Online services include boat registration renewals, purchasing boat ramp certificates, duplicate registration cards and decals, and making address changes. Boaters in northern Delaware in particular are encouraged to utilize the convenient online registration services, while boat registration agents in Kent and Sussex counties listed on the DNREC website also provide boat registration services.

To further serve the public, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife boat registration office located at the R&R Building at 89 Kings Highway, Dover DE 19901 will be open by appointment only for limited boat registration services beginning Thursday, April 15, 2021. Thirty-minute appointments will be available only to boaters who need boat registration services not presently provided online: registering a new vessel or transferring a vessel. Appointments will be available starting on the half-hour Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. COVID-19 safety and health measures will be in effect for appointments, including mandatory face coverings by customers and staff.

To make an appointment or for additional information, contact the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife boat registration office at 302-739-9916 or by email at dnrecboatreg@delaware.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 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 65,000 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, nikkie.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

DNREC Fish and Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Matthew Tortu, 24, and Travis Gooding, 21, both of Coatsville, Pennsylvania on August 22 for multiple felony criminal charges and boating violations in response to and after investigating a report of a stolen vessel.

The suspects were allegedly observed before daybreak on August 22 in a vessel aground on a sand bar in the Indian River Bay by other boaters in the area who reported the incident and that the vessel occupants were not the owners of the subject vessel. Natural Resources Police officers responded to the report and arrested Tortu and Gooding at the site upon determining that the Maritime Skiff vessel had been stolen earlier that morning from Tuckahoe Acres where it was moored.

Tortu and Gooding were both charged with one count each of felony theft, felony conspiracy, criminal mischief, no boating safety certification, no navigation lights and negligent operation of a motor vessel. Gooding was also charged with one count of failure to maintain a proper lookout.

Tortu was arraigned by video phone with Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on an unsecured bond of $4,040, pending a future court appearance in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas.

Gooding was arraigned by video phone with Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on an unsecured bond of $4,050, pending a future court appearance in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas.

Defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a jury trial at which the State bears the burden of proving each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

The public is encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or through the DENRP Tip app on a smartphone, which can be downloaded free of charge by searching “DENRP Tip” via the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store.

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 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 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, brooke.mitchell@delaware.gov or Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

Weekly reminder: Shad harvest prohibited in Nanticoke River and its tributaries

DOVER, Del. – DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources, promote boating safety, and protect the public through outreach, education and law enforcement. To help achieve public compliance with laws and regulations, officers from March 2-8 made 1,351 public contacts and responded to 49 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Officers issued a total of 60 citations for the following listed violations related to:

Wildlife Conservation: Hunt on state refuge, possess/transport unlawfully taken antlerless deer, wanton waste of game animal, trespassing after hours on state wildlife area*, and operate motor vehicle off the established roadway on state wildlife area*.

Fisheries Conservation: No Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number, unlicensed fishing, and fishing in trout pond before opening day.

Boating and Boating Safety: No boating safety card and no boat ramp certificate.

Public Safety: Possession of a firearm by person prohibited, possession of firearm ammunition by person prohibited, possession of a deadly weapon by person prohibited, possession of drug paraphernalia non-marijuana related, possession of heroin, possession of synthetic marijuana (spice), possession of marijuana tier 1 quantity, and possession of drug paraphernalia marijuana related – civil.

Other: Fugitive from another state, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, fail to have motor vehicle insurance in possession, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters, and boaters who comply with Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. The public can report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or using the free smartphone DENRP Tip app downloaded from the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations can be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030, going online to http://de.gov/ogt, or using the DENRP Tip app; Verizon customers can connect to Operation Game Theft directly by dialing #OGT.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind both recreational and commercial anglers that American shad and hickory shad harvest is prohibited on the Nanticoke River and its tributaries. In other waterways, American shad and hickory shad can be harvested all year, with no size limit, and a daily limit of 10 in any combination. For more information on shad visit this link.

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 Division of Fish & Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, brooke.mitchell@delaware.gov

###

Weekly reminder: DU Greenwing Conservation Festival set for April 4

DOVER, Del. – DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources, promote boating safety, and protect the public through outreach, education and law enforcement. To help achieve public compliance with laws and regulations, officers from Feb. 24 – March 1 made 1,812 public contacts and responded to 34 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Officers issued a total of 12 citations for the following listed violations related to:

Wildlife Conservation: Possession of unlawfully taken game bird, hunting snow goose without required conservation order season permit, possession of prohibited lead shot while hunting migratory waterfowl, possession of prohibited lead shot size while hunting migratory waterfowl, wanton waste of a game animal, and hunting illegally on Sunday.

Other: Operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area*, conspiracy 3rd, theft under $1,500, and selling stolen property under $1,500.
*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

The majority of anglers, hunters, and boaters comply with Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. The public can report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or using the free smartphone DENRP Tip app from the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations can be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030, going online to de.gov/ogt, or with the DENRP Tip app; Verizon customers can connect to Operation Game Theft directly by dialing #OGT.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers and other Division of Fish & Wildlife staff will be attending the Ducks Unlimited Greenwing Conservation Festival on April 4 at Fish & Wildlife’s Owens Station complex near Greenwood. The Division will feature numerous displays and activities, including the Operation Game Theft trailer; a marine patrol vessel; an archery trailer; hunter education, youth Sport Fishing Tournament, and waterfowl and trout stamp displays; “Take-A-Kid Fishing” casting activities; and a K-9 demonstration. New this year is a turkey checking station where youth hunters can register wild turkeys harvested from offsite locations during the April 4 Youth Turkey Hunting Day. For more information, click Greenwing Conservation Festival. Mark your calendar.

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 Division of Fish & Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, brooke.mitchell@delaware.gov

###