DOVER – DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section is holding a “Keep Off the Dunes” signage contest, inviting the public to submit eye-catching and effective original artwork and messaging to remind beachgoers of the importance of protecting Delaware’s vibrant but fragile dune system.

Delaware’s Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay coastal dunes are vital in the state’s defense against coastal storms and extreme weather events. Dunes are also important natural habitats for plants and animals. To keep dunes strong enough to help protect our environment and the ecosystems they support, Delawareans need to protect the dunes by staying off of them. DNREC emphasizes this message by posting beach signs to encourage beach-goers to use provided crossovers along the dune system to avoid damaging the dunes.

For Keep Off the Dunes sign contest rules and additional information, please visit https://de.gov/dunesign. Deadline for entries is Sept. 2. Winners will be announced and their entries displayed at University of Delaware’s Coast Day Oct. 6. The winning artwork in the contest may be reproduced as signs and placed near dunes along Delaware’s coastline.

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

Vol. 49. No. 169

SMYRNA – DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Aquatic Resources Education Center invites anglers age 18 and older to try their luck at two upcoming adult fishing outings hosted by the center. The events will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 26 and Thursday, Aug. 1 at the Aquatic Resources Education Center at 2520 Lighthouse Road, Smyrna, DE 19977. The center offers two catch-and-release fishing ponds, one of them with shoreline fishing and the second with a handicap-accessible floating dock.

Aquatic Resources Education Center staff will be on hand to help adult anglers and also will answer questions about one of Delaware’s prime outdoor recreational opportunities. While participation is free, all adult anglers must have either a current Delaware fishing license or, if they are license-exempt, a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number.

Delaware fishing licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and by fishing 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. License-exempt anglers, including Delaware residents 65 and older, may visit www.delaware-fin.com or call 800-432-9228 toll-free to obtain their free FIN number.

Interested participants can register for the Aquatic Resources Education Center’s adult fishing outings by emailing Mary Rivera of the Division of Fish & Wildlife.

For more information on fishing in Delaware, visit 2019 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk, and from license agents throughout the state.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

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

Vol. 49, No. 201

HARRINGTON – DNREC’s Division of Community Affairs will host the first-ever Delaware Duck and Goose Calling Contest from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, July 20 at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington. The contest will have two levels: junior level for ages 15 and younger, and senior level for ages 16 and older.

Registration for participants in junior and senior levels will be open from 10:30-11:45 a.m. at Hertrich Plaza in front of the Grandstand, with the contest held at the same location. A draped area near the stage will be cordoned off for competitors to practice their calls.

The contest will consist of a three-round competition, with calling routines of 60 seconds per duck and goose caller. Trophies will be presented for 1st through 3rd place in each contest.

For more information about DNREC at the Delaware State Fair, visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/at-the-state-fair/.

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

Vol. 49, No. 196

DOVER – Under mostly sunny skies, 165 young anglers and their families gathered Saturday, June 1, at three Delaware ponds for DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police 33rd Annual Youth Fishing Tournament. All fish caught in the tournament were weighed and released, as young anglers learned a first-hand lesson in conservation.

The New Castle County location, Lums Pond near Bear, drew 77 young anglers casting lines; in Kent County, the Akridge Scout Reservation pond near Camden had 62 youngsters turn out; and in Sussex County, Ingrams Pond near Millsboro reeled in 26 participating young anglers.

When the day was done, 15-year-old Elise Britton of Middletown was the overall statewide winner, as well as the New Castle County winner, for the third year in a row, with a total weight of 24.17 pounds that included a 9.6-pound carp, the largest fish caught in this year’s tournament.

Other big fish included a 1.9 pound largemouth bass caught at the Akridge Scout Reservation by Kent County winner Kirra Noble of Frederica and a 0.71 pound largemouth bass caught at Ingrams Pond by Camrin Croney of Ocean View. The smallest fish of the day at each location were caught by: Morgan Stonebraker, with a 0.004 pound killifish from Lums Pond; Lyla Hughes, with a 0.04 pound bluegill from the Akridge Scout Reservation pond; and Cohen Betts, with a 0.02 pound bluegill from Ingrams Pond.

This year’s county winners and the overall statewide winner will be invited to a special trophy presentation on Governor’s Day, Thursday, July 25, at the 2019 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 – Wesley Jones, age 7, of Wyoming, 13.35 pounds
Second place – Landon Gonzalez, age 6, of Newark, 4.58 pounds
Third place – Mikey Hopkins, age 4, of New Castle, 1.09 pounds
Ages 8 through 11
First place – Tyler Trzonkowski, age 10, of Middletown, 2.62 pounds
Second place – Jonathon Pollock, age 11, of Middletown, 2.37 pounds
Third place – Jacob Halter, age 10, of Townsend, 1.84 pounds
Ages 12 through 15
First place – Sean Jones, age 12, of Wyoming, 5.72 pounds
Second place – Foster Wilkins, age 14, of Landenberg, Pa., 4.12 pounds
Third place – Jenaya Vann, age 14, of Bear, 3.41 pounds

Kent County winners

At the Akridge Scout Reservation pond, Kirra Noble, age 9, of Frederica, was the day’s overall winner with a total of 8.02 pounds of fish. Other Kent County winners were:
Ages 4 through 7
First place – Wyatt Meisinger, age 6, of Dover, 1.12 pounds
Second place – Brielle Douglas, age 7, of Middletown, 0.75 pounds
Third place – Collin Meisinger, age 5, of Dover, 0.65 pounds
Ages 8 through 11
First place – Elyse Fuller, age 11, of Camden, 2.13 pounds
Second place – Hayley Walgren, age 11, of Dover, 1.79 pounds
Third place – Amanda Lee, age 10, of Milford, 1.31 pounds
Ages 12 through 15
First place – Ethan Wong, age 15, of Frederica, 4.62 pounds
Second place – Dominic Garcia, age 14 of Smyrna, 4.52 pounds
Third place – Garrett Payne, age 14, of Dover, 4.28 pounds

Sussex County winners

At Ingrams Pond, Luke Hitchens, age 12, of Dagsboro, was the day’s overall winner with a total of 5.39 pounds of fish. Other Sussex County winners were:

Ages 4 through 7
First place – John Timmons V, age 7, of Georgetown, 3.94 pounds
Second place – Landon Cathell, age 7, of Laurel, 1.53 pounds
Third place – Colton Perdue, age 6, of Selbyville, 1.41 pounds
Ages 8 through 11
First place – Cohen Betts, age 9, of Milton, 2.41 pounds
Second place – Tyler Tranfaglia, age 11, of Dagsboro, 2.02 pounds
Third place – Madison Culley, age 8, of Laurel, 1.80 pounds
Ages 12 through 15
First place – Camrin Croney, age 13, of Ocean View, 2.82 pounds
Second place – Ava Puddicombe, age 12, of Laurel, 2.23 pounds
Third place – Carmela Marzullo, age 13, of Georgetown, 0.42 pounds

Tournament winners received trophies and prizes, and all participants received prizes. This year’s tournament sponsors and supporters included statewide donor Cabela’s, and the following donors listed by county:

• New Castle County – Almars Outboards, Betts Garage, and Reynolds Auto Collision
• Kent County – Dover Walmart, Camden Walmart, Harrington Food Lion, Milford Food Lion, Williamsville Country Store, and Haass’ Family Butcher Shop
• Sussex County – Rick’s Bait and Tackle, BJ’s, Giant Food, Dairy Queen, McDonald’s, Dewey Beach Lions Club, Funland, Hook ’em and Cook ’em Bait and Tackle, Jungle Jim’s, Lewes Harbour Marina, Lingo Marine, Old Inlet Bait and Tackle, Ice House Bait and Tackle, Shorts Marine, The Lead Pot, White Water Mountain, and A1 Sanitation

The Youth Fishing Tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation. The tournament, held annually in June, is open to youth ages 4 through 15. For more information on the Youth Fishing Tournament, please call 302-739-9913 or visit Youth Fishing Tournament.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Delaware-Fish-Wildlife-Natural-Resources-Police.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-382-7167, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 150

DOVER – The results are in, and two artists have won top honors in Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp art contests. A painting of an American wigeon and a chocolate Labrador retriever by Guy Crittenden of Richmond, Va., will grace the 2020/21 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp. A painting of a rainbow trout by Jeffrey Klinefelter of Etna Green, Ind., will adorn the 2020 Delaware Trout Stamp. Both contests are sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Fish & Wildlife.

The annual stamp art competition, held April 4 at the Dover Public Library, drew 19 entries for the 2020/21 Waterfowl Stamp and 11 entries for the 2020 Trout Stamp. The Waterfowl Stamp contest specified that submitted artwork must include an American wigeon and a chocolate Labrador retriever. Trout Stamp artwork entries could be of a rainbow, brown, or brook trout.

As the 2020/21 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp winner, Guy Crittenden receives a $2,500 prize and 150 artist’s proofs of the limited edition print series of his first-place entry. A naturalist with an interest in ornithology, Crittenden began drawing and painting at an early age based on his experiences with nature. He has won the Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp competition seven times, including the 2019/20 contest in March. This is his first Delaware Waterfowl Stamp win. In addition to Delaware and Virginia, Crittenden has won waterfowl stamp contests in nine other states. The artist also owns a commercial photography and video production company in Richmond, Va.

As the 2020 Delaware Trout Stamp winner, Jeffrey Klinefelter receives a $250 prize and retains the rights to reproduce and sell prints of the stamp artwork. After developing an interest in drawing and painting at a young age, Klinefelter graduated from Indiana University’s Herron School of Art. His interest in wildlife art came a few years later when he entered the Federal Duck Stamp and Indiana Duck Stamp contests. Since then, he has won numerous stamp contests, including three Delaware Waterfowl Stamp contests and five Delaware Trout Stamp contests. He has also won the 2016/17 Ohio Wetland Habitat Stamp competition and the 2015 Connecticut Duck Stamp contest.

Other winners were:

• 2020/21 Waterfowl Stamp: Second place, Jeffrey Klinefelter, Etna Green, Ind.; Third place, Mark Thone, Shakopee, Minn.; Honorable mentions: Scott Calpino, Bernville, Pa.; Caleb Metrich, Lake Tomahawk, Wis.; and Karin Snoots, Harbeson, Del.
• 2020 Trout Stamp: Second place, Eric Jablonowski, Suwanee, Ga., rainbow trout; Third place, Ryan Rickaby, Green Bay, Wis., brown trout. Honorable mentions: Micah Hanson, St. Charles, Minn., brown trout; Jeffrey Klinefelter, Etna Green, Ind., brown trout; and Ryan Peterson, Jackson, Wyo., brown trout.

The winning 2020/21 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp will be available for purchase July 1, 2020, and the winning 2020 Delaware Trout Stamp will be available for purchase Jan. 1, 2020.

Waterfowl and Trout Stamp entries will be on display Monday, April 15 through Friday, April 26 in the Licensing Office at DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. For more information, please call 302-739-9918.

The 2020/21 Waterfowl Stamp judges were: Nathan Hudson, member of the Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish; Raymond Harp, Delaware Ducks Unlimited representative;
Ken Reynolds, retired wildlife professional; Jim Hall, hunter and cultural historian; and Justyn Foth, wildlife biologist.

The 2020 Trout Stamp judges were: Cathy Martin, retired fisheries professional; Ian Park, fisheries biologist; Roy Miller, angler; Noel Kuhrt, art collector and angler; and Capt. Nick Couch, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police.

The Division of Fish & Wildlife, in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, started the Delaware Waterfowl Stamp (formerly known as the Delaware Duck Stamp) and print program in 1980 to raise funds for waterfowl conservation, including acquiring and improving wetland habitats vital to the survival of migratory waterfowl. To date, more than $3 million has been raised. A Delaware Waterfowl Stamp and hunting license are required by most waterfowl hunters.

The Division of Fish & Wildlife began requiring trout stamps for anglers in the 1950s, and a trout stamp and a general fishing license are required by most anglers to fish in designated trout waters during certain seasons, with the funds from the sale of the stamps used to purchase trout to stock in two downstate ponds and selected streams in northern New Castle County.

Delaware hunting and fishing licenses, as well as Waterfowl Stamps and Trout Stamps, are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase licenses or stamps online, visit Delaware Licenses. For additional information on Delaware hunting and fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

For more information on Delaware’s Waterfowl and Trout Stamp art competitions, please call DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife at 302-739-9918, or visit Delaware Waterfowl Stamp and Delaware Trout Stamp.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

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

Vol. 49, No. 84

-End-