DOVER – West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in Delaware in blood samples taken from DNREC’s sentinel chickens that are monitored for mosquito-borne diseases. The samples are collected as part of a statewide surveillance program conducted by DNREC’s Mosquito Control Section. So far in Delaware this year, no cases of West Nile virus have been found in horses, humans or wild birds.

The Delaware Division of Public Health Laboratory reported WNV-positive results from seven sentinel chickens tested in August. All of the chickens were from New Castle County locations north of the C&D Canal, according to Dr. William Meredith, Division of Fish & Wildlife Mosquito Control Section administrator.

“Based upon these positive virus findings, and with mosquito season reaching its peak for transmission of mosquito-borne diseases from late August into early October, Mosquito Control will increase its mosquito population monitoring activities in this area and continue to take appropriate mosquito control actions,” Dr. Meredith said.

Mosquito Control operates 20 monitoring stations with caged chickens statewide. The sentinel chickens are humanely kept and tended in the field. Sentinel chickens bitten by mosquitoes carrying WNV or eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) – both of which can affect humans and horses – develop antibodies that enable them to survive. Their blood is tested every two weeks for these antibodies, which indicate exposure to these viruses.

“So far in 2016, mosquito populations have been about normal, with indications of mosquito-borne illnesses a bit below normal. In comparison to past years, this could turn out to be a relatively light year for WNV,” Dr. Meredith said. Nationwide through Aug. 30, Dr. Meredith said the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported 406 WNV human cases and nine deaths, with Texas, South Dakota, California, Arizona and Colorado having the most cases. In the mid-Atlantic region this year to date, five WNV human cases have been reported in Pennsylvania, one WNV human case each in New Jersey and Virginia, and no human cases in Delaware, New York or Maryland.

The worst year on record for WNV was in 2003, with 9,862 human cases and 264 deaths nationwide. That year, the worst West Nile outbreak in Delaware also occurred, with 17 confirmed human cases and two fatalities, plus 63 equine cases. In 2012, there was a resurgence nationwide of WNV involving 5,674 human cases and 286 deaths, with nine WNV human cases in Delaware and one death, but no horse cases due to equine vaccinations. Last year, nationwide numbers declined to 2,469 human cases.

There are no approved WNV or EEE vaccines for humans. The majority of humans infected with WNV typically have symptoms similar to a mild flu, if they show any symptoms at all; 20 percent develop a mild illness which includes fever, body and muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting and rash. A very small percentage of patients, usually the elderly, develop severe neurological disease resulting in meningitis or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), or acute flaccid paralysis, and sometimes death. Symptoms may include sudden onset of severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, confusion and muscle weakness. Individuals with these symptoms should see their physician immediately.

“Most people bitten by an infected mosquito won’t get sick but it is possible they can spread it to others if bitten by another mosquito,” said Delaware Division of Public Health Director Dr. Karyl Rattay, “Others are not as lucky, and everyone can be at risk. The best protection against mosquito-borne illnesses is always to prevent mosquito bites.”

State Veterinarian Dr. Heather Hirst of the Delaware Department of Agriculture said her office encourages use of the effective equine vaccines available to protect horses from WNV and EEE. “I am urging horse owners to assist with prevention efforts by making sure their horses are vaccinated against both WNV and EEE,” she said.

“This finding of West Nile virus in Delaware’s sentinel chickens also serves as a good reminder for people to take common-sense precautions against mosquito bites,” said DNREC Mosquito Control Section Administrator Meredith said. These include wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors in mosquito-prone areas, applying insect repellent containing 10-30 percent DEET in accordance with all label instructions, and avoiding mosquito-infested areas or times of peak mosquito activity around dusk, dawn or throughout the night.

Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses are three other mosquito-borne diseases most often linked to South and Central America and the Caribbean. The American South and mid-Atlantic states have mosquito species that can transmit the illnesses, and Zika was recently confirmed in south Florida mosquitoes. Zika has not yet been detected in Delaware mosquito populations. The First State has 11 Zika cases reported – all of them travel-related. For more information on Zika, please visit: http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/zika.html.

To reduce mosquito-breeding habitat and chances of disease transmission, Dr. Meredith said residents should drain or remove from their outdoor areas all items that collect water, such as discarded buckets or containers, uncovered trash cans, stagnant birdbaths, unprotected rain barrels or cisterns, old tires, upright wheelbarrows, flowerpot liners, depressions in tarps covering boats, clogged rain gutters, downspout extenders and unused swimming pools.

“The possibility of mosquito-borne disease transmissions won’t subside until cooler autumn temperatures set in, usually in mid-October and sometimes even later,” Meredith said.

To help determine when and where control services are needed, Mosquito Control encourages residents to report intolerable numbers of biting mosquitoes by calling the numbers below. Staff answers phones between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Callers after business hours or during weekends or holidays should leave their name, phone number, address and a brief message.

• New Castle County and northern Kent County from Dover north, call Mosquito Control’s Glasgow office at 302-836-2555
• Southern Kent County and all of Sussex County, call Mosquito Control’s Milford office at 302-422-1512

For more information about:
• Mosquito biology/ecology and control – Contact the Mosquito Control Section’s Dover office at 302-739-9917.
• WNV in humans and related medical issues – Contact the Delaware Division of Public Health at 888-295-5156.
• WNV or EEE in horses and equine vaccines – Contact the Department of Agriculture’s Poultry and Animal Health Section at 302-698-4500 or 800-282-8685 (Delaware only).
• West Nile virus – visit the CDC website, www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

DNREC’s Mosquito Control Section provides statewide services to about 945,000 Delaware residents and 7.5 million visitors annually to maintain quality of life and protect public health by reducing the possibility of mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, chikungunya and Zika virus. Throughout the warmer months, Mosquito Control monitors and treats mosquito populations that emerge from wetland areas throughout the state, including ditches, stormwater ponds, wet woodlands and coastal salt marshes, using EPA-registered insecticides. These insecticides have been determined by EPA to pose no unreasonable risk to human health, wildlife or the environment when professionally applied. The Section also works year-round on water and marsh management projects designed to reduce mosquito populations, and provides the public with information on dealing with mosquitoes, from reducing backyard mosquito production to avoiding mosquito bites. For more information, call 302-739-9917 or visit http://de.gov/mosquito.

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

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

Vol. 46, No. 328

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Reminder for the week: Recreational crabbers should review rules before crabbing

DOVER – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Aug. 15-21 made 2,546 contacts with anglers, boaters and the general public, including 434 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 59 complaints and issued 41 citations, two of which were related to the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail, where there is an increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence.

An incident of note:

• On Aug. 16, following an investigation, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested commercial waterman Shawn P. Moore, 40, of Georgetown, and charged him with four counts of failure to report commercial horseshoe crab harvest and two counts of illegal possession of knobbed conch on board a commercial vessel equipped with a dredge in Roosevelt Inlet and Delaware Bay. Moore was released, pending an appearance in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas at a later date.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Spotlighting (1).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (4), possession of undersized blue crabs (3), over-the-limit recreational crab pots (1), use of recreational crab pots without required turtle excluder (2), improperly marked recreational crab pots (3), failure to tend recreational crab pots at least once within required 72-hour time frame (2), possession of undersized summer flounder (6), and possession of summer flounder parts (1).
Commercial: Failure to report commercial horseshoe crab harvest (4), and illegal possession of knobbed conch on board a commercial vessel equipped with a dredge (2).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of lifejackets (3), no lifejacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (4), failure to observe slow-no-wake zone (2), and no boating education certificate (1).

Public Safety: Recreational clamming in a closed/polluted area (1), and driving with an expired license (1).

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police News, Training and Outreach

• On Aug. 20, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police displayed the Operation Game Theft trailer at Middletown’s Peach Festival, answering questions and distributing information on boating, fishing, hunting and trapping opportunities in Delaware.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind recreational crabbers to review state regulations governing blue crabs, including the required use of a turtle by-catch reduction device in recreational crab pots.

A turtle by-catch reduction device is attached in the funnel entrance of a recreational crab pot to reduce the possibility of diamondback terrapins entering the pots and drowning. The device is a rigid metal or plastic rectangular frame that measures 1.75 inches by 4.75 inches. By-catch devices are available at local tackle shops or may be handmade of heavy wire.

Other Delaware crabbing regulations include:

• A Delaware recreational fishing license is required for crabbing.
• The recreational daily limit on blue crabs is one bushel per person.
• Minimum “keeper” size for male blue crabs and immature female crabs with the V-shaped apron is 5 inches, measured across the shell from point to point.
• Mature female crabs, identified by the U-shaped apron, are exempt from the minimum size of 5 inches because many females reach maturity at a smaller size.
• Mature female blue crabs bearing eggs, known as sponge crabs and recognizable by the orange eggs visible under the apron, may not be taken and must be returned to the water immediately.
• Recreational crabbers may use any number of single, baited hand lines, trot lines (a longer weighted line with a series of baited points) or pull traps. Standard size and possession limits as noted above apply.
• Recreational crabbers may not use, place, set or tend more than two crab pots.
• Recreational crab pots must be tended by the owner at least once every 72 hours and must be marked with white buoys with the owner’s name and permanent mailing address.
• Recreational crabbers are prohibited from selling blue crabs; only commercially-licensed crabbers are permitted to offer blue crabs for sale in Delaware.
• Crabbing or fishing off courtesy docks at state-owned boat ramps is prohibited.
• To avoid being cited for littering, gather up leftover bait, bait containers, crab lines and other trash for proper disposal. And remember: All Fish & Wildlife fishing and wildlife areas are “carry in, carry out” for trash.
• For more information on individual wildlife areas, including the rules and regulations specific to each, such as where crabbing is allowed, visitors are encouraged to check out Delaware wildlife area maps, which are available in hard copy at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk and online at Delaware Wildlife Area Maps.

Delaware fishing licenses 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 a license online, visit Delaware Licenses. For additional information on Delaware fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

For more information on crabbing in Delaware, click on 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk, and from license agents throughout the state.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030 or online at de.gov/ogt.

Media Contacts: Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 317

WILMINGTON – DNREC Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Police Park Rangers arrested a Wilmington woman Monday evening in connection with a “smash-and-grab” incident that occurred earlier in the day in Bellevue State Park.

Yolanda Bowden, 32, was arrested on an assortment of charges that included six felonies and four misdemeanors related to the incident. Charges included burglary third degree; possession of burglary tools; forgery second-degree; unlawful use of a credit card; criminal mischief; theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bowden was committed to Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in Wilmington for lack of $12,600 secured bond. She was also wanted on outstanding charges in Delaware related to shoplifting, and had outstanding warrants from Whitpain Township, Pa. on similar offenses.

Natural Resource Police Park Rangers were called to the main parking lot of Bellevue State Park in midafternoon Monday to investigate a vehicle break-in, with the victim telling Rangers that valuables, including credit cards, had been stolen. The victim’s credit card companies reported that new purchases had been made at various stores in the Philadelphia Pike area. Natural Resource Police Park Rangers viewed surveillance video at several of the stores, and linked a vehicle in several videos to a woman making the purchases reported to the victim by the credit card companies.

Later the same day, a family member of the theft victim identified the described vehicle in the parking lot of the Home Depot store off Miller Road in Wilmington. Natural Resources Police Park Rangers and the Delaware State Police waited for the driver to get back into the vehicle, at which time they identified the driver as the suspect in the smash-and-grab incident, and took Bowden into custody without incident.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902, or Chief Wayne Kline, DNREC Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9232

Vol. 46, No. 313

Reminder for the week: Observe safety precautions when towing water skiers, tubers, knee-boarders

DOVER – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Aug. 1-14 made 4,166 contacts with anglers, boaters and the general public, including 472 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks. Officers responded to 130 complaints and issued 102 citations. During this two week period, with an expanded Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continuing to be deployed as a deterrent, no citations were issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail.

Incidents of note:

• On Aug. 13, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police responded to a report of a body floating in the water near the Newport Boat Ramp. The body was turned over to the state Medical Examiner’s office to determine cause of death. Delaware State Police are investigating the case.
• On Aug. 1, following an investigation, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested commercial waterman Terry R. Murray, 41, of Frankford, and charged him with 21 counts of failure to tend commercial crab pots at least once within the required 72-hour timeframe, and one count each of no commercial crabbing license, no commercial clamming license and possession of over-the-limit hard clams on Roy’s Creek west of Fenwick Island. Murray was video-arraigned and released on $2,300 unsecured bond, pending an appearance in the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas at a later date.

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

Wildlife Conservation: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (4).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (7), possession of undersized blue crabs (11), recreational crab pot tampering (6), over-the-limit recreational crab pots (1), use of recreational crab pots without required turtle excluder (1), failure to tend recreational crab pots at least once within required 72-hour timeframe (1), possession of undersized striped bass (2), possession of undersized weakfish (1), possession of undersized sea bass (1), possession of undersized summer flounder (2), and possession of summer flounder parts (2).
Commercial: Failure to tend commercial crab pots at least once within required 72-hour timeframe (21), possession of over-the-limit hard clams (1), clamming without a commercial license (1), and crabbing without a commercial license (1).

Boating and Boating Safety: OUI/operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol (2), negligent operation of a vessel (3), inattentive operation of a vessel (1), careless operation of a vessel (1), failure to maintain proper lookout while towing a tuber or water skier (2), operating a vessel with insufficient number of lifejackets (2), no lifejacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (7), failure to observe slow-no-wake zone (4), operating an unregistered vessel (2), owner or responsible party allowing use of a non-compliant vessel (1), no sound-producing device (1), no fire extinguisher (1), no navigation lights (3), and no boating education certificate (6).

Public Safety: Possession of heroin (1), possession of marijuana (1), and passing in a no-passing zone in a motor vehicle (1).

Two DNREC press releases were issued related to Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police:

• Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrest Dover man for drug possession in Little Creek Wildlife Area
• Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police respond to multiple boating accidents, address safety violations

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police News, Training and Outreach

• On Aug. 11, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police displayed the Operation Game Theft trailer at Newark’s Safe Kids Camp. Officers spoke to about 25 four- to six-year-olds about safe boating and fishing and hunting, and gave tours of the trailer, showing and explaining items taken illegally by poachers.
• During the month of July, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police tagged more than 600 recreational crab pots on the Inland Bays in Sussex County with information on crab pot rules and to determine if the pots were being checked as required. Crabbers are reminded to review the regulations regarding use of recreational crab pots in Delaware waters. Under state law, recreational crabbers cannot tend more than two crab pots and must be present when setting their pots. Recreational crab pots cannot be placed inside navigation channels, must be tended at least once every 72 hours, have a turtle excluder installed at the entrance and be attached to an all-white float that includes a tag with the owner’s full name and address. Although not required by law, Fish & Wildlife officers recommend including a phone number on your crab pots for contact if unauthorized persons are found to be in possession of the pots. For more information, please click on 2016 Delaware Fishing Guide.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind boaters of some important safety regulations when towing water skiers, tubers and knee-boarders.

“Water skiing requires at least three participants – the water skier or skiers, the boat operator and a competent observer – and this also applies to tubing and knee-boarding,” said Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police boating safety coordinator. “Under Delaware law, any vessel towing a water skier, tuber or knee-boarder must have a person aboard other than the operator to act as the observer. To ensure the skier’s safety, the observer faces backwards, watches the skier and alerts the boat operator of any hand signals from the skier or if the skier goes down.”

Other safety requirements for water skiing, tubing and knee-boarding:

• Personal watercraft (PWC) used for towing skiers, tubers or knee boarders must have enough seats – minimum of three – to carry the operator, observer and skier.
• Recreational water skiers, tubers and knee-boarders must wear lifejackets.
• A tow line cannot exceed 75 feet in length.
• Observe all “slow-no-wake” areas.
• Avoid traveling at unsafe speeds, including congested areas.
• Observe marked “No Water Skiing” areas, which include all marked swimming areas, Assawoman Canal, Rehoboth-Lewes Canal and portions of Indian River Inlet, Roosevelt Inlet, Whites Creek and the channel through Masseys Landing.
• Maintain a safe and reasonable distance from shipping lanes, other vessels, persons and property.
• Water skiing is prohibited at night between sunset and sunrise, and within 100 feet of persons in the water, piers, docks, floats, wharfs, vessels anchored or adrift and private or public boat launch ramps.

For more information, please visit the Delaware Boating Safety webpage.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030 or online at http://de.gov/ogt.

Media Contact: Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 309

DOVER – Hours and locations for lifeguarded ocean swimming beaches in Delaware State Parks will change beginning next week, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 22 through Friday, Aug 26, Delaware Seashore State Park’s Tower Road will be unguarded. Beginning Monday, Aug. 29 through Friday, Sept. 2, Delaware Seashore State Park’s Tower Road and Fenwick Island State Park’s Fenwick Lot will be unguarded. Weekends will be guarded at both locations.

All other state park guarded swimming beaches, including the main beach at Cape Henlopen State Park and the South Indian River Inlet side of Delaware Seashore State Park, will be guarded every day through Labor Day with limited staff. Smaller or limited swimming areas will be available through Labor Day.

All swimming beaches will be guarded on weekends through Labor Day. Lifeguard hours will not change, and will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Reductions in hours were necessary as a result of lifeguards leaving the area to return to high school, college and school sports camps.

For more information, call the Division of Parks & Recreation’s Operations Section at 302-739-9200.

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

Vol. 46, No. 302