WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Thursday issued a revision to the Public Health Emergency order and extended the order another 30 days to allow the State of Delaware and medical providers to continue COVID-19 vaccination and testing programs, ​and to allow continued staffing flexibility at hospitals and long-term care facilities.

The revision enables the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to maintain the State of Delaware’s eligibility ​for low-income Delawareans to continue receiving enhanced federal food benefits.

Under Delaware law, Public Health Emergency declarations must be renewed every 30 days. 

Click here for Governor Carney’s Public Health Emergency revision. 

Click here for Governor Carney’s Public Health Emergency extension. 

Visit de.gov/getmyvaccine to learn where to get your COVID-19 vaccine. 

Visit de.gov/gettested to learn more about COVID-19 testing. 

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WILMINGTON, Del. –  Governor John Carney on Wednesday formally extended the Public Health Emergency order another 30 days to allow the State of Delaware and medical providers to continue COVID-19 vaccination and testing programs, and issued the following statement:

“Getting all Delaware students back in the classroom for in person learning has been, and remains, our top priority,” said Governor Carney. “Delawareans who are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine should get the shot to reduce spread of COVID-19 in our communities and keep our children in their classrooms learning. These vaccines are extremely safe and effective at preventing serious illness and hospitalization, even against variants. Visit de.gov/getmyvaccine to find a free vaccine provider in your community.”

Under Delaware law, Public Health Emergency declarations must be renewed every 30 days.

Click here for Governor Carney’s Public Health Emergency extension.

Visit de.gov/getmyvaccine to learn where to get your COVID-19 vaccine.

Visit de.gov/gettested to learn more about COVID-19 testing.

Delawareans over the age of 18 are encouraged to download COVID Alert DE, Delaware’s free COVID exposure notification app. Download on the App Store or Google Play.

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Striped bass graphic/ Duane Raver for DNREC

DOVER – An Emergency Secretary’s Order issued by DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin reduces the striped bass fishing quota for commercial fishing and limits the number and size of fish that recreational anglers can keep. The emergency regulations bring Delaware into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) required 18 percent reduction in fishing mortality.

The emergency regulations were issued since there was insufficient time for Delaware to adopt regulations through the standard regulatory process prior to ASMFC’s required implementation date. The standard regulatory process will be initiated to obtain public input on the state’s striped bass fishing regulations that will replace the interim emergency regulations.

The emergency regulations reduce the commercial 2020 striped bass quota for Delaware to 142,474 pounds. All other commercial fishing restrictions remain unchanged.

The emergency regulations establish Delaware’s recreational striped bass fishing limits at one-fish-per day with a “slot limit” size of 28 through 35 inches, except for the period from July 1 through Aug. 31, when the allowable slot limit size is 20 through 25 inches in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and their tributaries.

The recreational striped bass fishery remains open all year, except that retaining striped bass from April 1 through May 31 continues to be prohibited on their spawning grounds in the Delaware River, Nanticoke River, C&D Canal, and their tributaries. Anglers fishing these spawning grounds during this period are required to use a non-offset circle hook with a gap greater than 3/8-inches when using natural baits.

Recreational striped bass possession and size limits have been updated in the online 2020 Fishing Guide, which can be checked for current and updated fishing regulations.

For more information about striped bass fishing regulations, call the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

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

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

DOVER – DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin today signed an Emergency Order making changes in Delaware’s tautog fishing regulations that go into effect July 1. The changes were adopted through an emergency regulation due to insufficient time to adopt the regulations through the standard regulatory process without significantly impacting Delaware’s tautog fisheries.

The regulations increase the tautog minimum size limit to 16 inches, adjust the open seasons to July 1 through Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 through May 15, and reduce the possession limit to four tautog per day during the new open seasons. The adjusted seasons allow Delaware’s commercial and recreational fishermen earlier access to tautog fishing than the previous July 17 reopening of the fishery and provide 48 additional tautog-fishing days annually.

The Emergency Secretary’s Order can be found at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/Info/Pages/SecOrders_Regulations.aspx.

The new regulations established by the emergency order bring Delaware into compliance with Amendment 1 to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for tautog.

For more information about tautog season, call DNREC’s Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914 or visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries.

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

Vol. 48, No. 173