DNREC’s 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide and fishing rulers now available

DOVER – The Division of Fish & Wildlife’s 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide and fishing rulers for measuring legal-sized catches have landed wherever anglers purchase a Delaware fishing license, including bait & tackle shops, and sporting goods and hardware stores. Anglers also can pick up the guide and ruler when buying their fishing license at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Inside the full-color, magazine-sized guide, anglers will find detailed information on Delaware’s fishing license requirements and how to obtain a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (F.I.N.) number, as well as sections on tidal and freshwater sportfishing, fishing regulations and general angling information. The guide, available online at 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide, also showcases additions to the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and Live Release program.

The new fishing ruler, colored purple for 2018, serves as a handy tool to measure your fishing and shellfish catches and provides a quick reference on minimum size, possession limits, and seasons. “We are pleased to issue the 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide and fishing rulers early in the fishing year to better serve the fishing public,” said Division of Fish & Wildlife Director David Saveikis. “We encourage anglers to use them as a source of helpful information to enjoy their fishing experiences in Delaware.”

When picking up a guide and ruler with their fishing license, anglers are also reminded that although the print version of the fishing guide and the fishing rulers both provide a summary of minimum sizes, possession limits and seasons, these regulations are subject to change after the guide has been published and the rulers produced. This year, changes are expected for black sea bass, tautog, and possibly summer flounder. The online version of the fishing guide will be updated as new regulations become effective.

This year’s guide features winning photos from the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife’s 2017 Fishing Photo Contest. The cover features the first-place photo taken by Chad Betts of Milton. The photo shows his son, Cohen Betts, holding a fine striped bass that he caught and released while fishing on the Delaware’s Inland Bays. Second place and honorable mention photos appear inside the guide.

“The guide provides a user-friendly summary of fishing opportunities in Delaware, from freshwater ponds and rivers to the Delaware Bay and ocean,” said DNREC Fisheries Administrator John Clark. “The fishing rulers are perfect to keep in your tackle box or on your boat. Every angler should pick up a ruler and a guide when they buy their Delaware fishing license.”

For more information on the 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide or on fishing in the First State, please call the Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914. For freshwater fishing information, anglers also may call the section’s Smyrna field office at 302-735-8650, or for saltwater fishing information, the Little Creek field office at 302-735-2960.

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

Vol. 48, No. 20


Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Blotter: Aug. 28-Sept 3

Reminder for the week: Review Delaware’s wildlife area maps and regulations.

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (5), no fisheries identification number FIN (2), recreational gill net restriction (1), recreational gill net size limit (1), possession of undersized white perch (2), possession of undersized striped bass (1), possession of undersized largemouth bass (1), possession of undersized blue crabs (5), over the limit of recreational crab pots (1), and tampering with a recreational crab pot of another (1).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (5), no life jacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (6), failure to observe slow no wake zone (3), assault by vessel (1), operating an unregistered vessel (1), no boating safety certificate (3), allow the use of a non-compliant vessel (1), and equipment violation- navigation lights (2).

Public Safety: Reckless endangering (1), possession of drug paraphernalia (1), driving without a valid license (1)*, failure to have insurance identification in possession (1)*, and shellfish in closed polluted area- recreational clamming (1).

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (5)*, unlawful to build fire on a state wildlife area (1), and criminal impersonation (1).

http://de.gov/ogt.

Are you AWARE?

State wildlife areas, fishing piers and boat launching facilities are closed to the public from sunset to sunrise unless a person is actively and lawfully engaged in fishing, hunting or boating in accordance with state regulations and individual wildlife area rules. Individuals not meeting these requirements and found at these sites between sunset and sunrise face fines up to $100 for trespassing after hours.

Wildlife area visitors also are reminded that it is illegal to operate motor vehicles – including motorcycles, cars, trucks and SUVs – off established roadways in state wildlife areas. Violators found to cause damage also will be cited for destruction of state property. In addition, operating a motor vehicle that is not licensed for use on established public roadways – including ATVs – is prohibited both on and off-road on state wildlife areas.

The following rules also apply to all state wildlife areas, fishing piers, public boat launching facilities and multi-use areas:

  • Camping, swimming, target shooting (including paintball), dumping and littering, and fires are prohibited.
  • Dog training is permitted only within established dog training areas or during open hunting seasons for the game animals that the dog is being trained to hunt.
  • Hunting is permitted only in specified areas and only during designated hunting seasons.
  • All of these sites have a carry-in, carry-out trash policy.

Delaware Wildlife Area Maps.

www.facebook.com/pages/Delaware-Fish-Wildlife-Natural-Resources-Police.

https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

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Delaware’s recreational summer flounder size limit to increase to 17 inches effective April 1

Possession limit and season dates unchanged

DOVER – Effective April 1, Delaware’s recreational minimum size limit for summer flounder will increase to 17 inches. DNREC Secretary David S. Small signed an Emergency Secretary’s Order to increase Delaware’s minimum size limit regulation by one inch to remain compliant with an addendum to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Delaware’s flounder four-fish possession limit and year-round open season remain unchanged.

Recreational harvest reductions also were required in other coastal states. The decision was made after consulting with Delaware’s ASMFC regional neighbors Maryland and Virginia, both of which also have committed to adopting a 17-inch minimum size limit and a four-fish possession limit by April 1.

An emergency regulation was necessary to meet the implementation target date, remain compliant with the FMP and to protect the summer flounder resource from overfishing. In addition, such action will allow sufficient time for Delaware’s fishing community to plan for this important fishery.

Harvest reductions were based on recent stock assessment updates that determined the summer flounder population is experiencing excess harvest that could result in a detrimental population reduction. Although spawning stock biomass is above the target threshold, juvenile production has been below average for the past six years.

Harvest reductions were necessary in the coastwide commercial fishery as well, but these reductions are achieved through quotas and monitoring.

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

Vol. 47, No. 61

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