Reminder for the week: Harvest of river herring, retaining striped bass during spawning season, use of nets near spillways unlawful in Delaware

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 March 13-19 made 1,067 contacts with anglers, hunters, boaters and the general public, including 14 vessel boardings for boating safety, hunting and fishing regulation compliance checks, issuing 10 citations. Officers responded to 20 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. An increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Incident of note:

• On March 17, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources officers arrested William S. Adkins, 42, of Laurel following an investigation for two counts of possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited and three counts of possess or transport unlawfully taken antlerless deer near Laurel. Adkins was arraigned at Sussex County Justice of the Peace Court 3 where he was released on $5,300 unsecured bond and ordered to appear in Sussex County Superior Court at a later date.

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

Wildlife: Possess or transport unlawfully taken antlerless deer (3).

Public Safety: Possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited (2).

Other: Operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (2)*, Damaging state property on a wildlife area (2)*, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle on a state wildlife area (1).

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

Are you AWARE?
With spring fishing season gearing up, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police reminds recreational anglers that it is unlawful in Delaware to harvest and use river herring for bait. Signs giving notice of the fishery closure are posted at fishing spots known to hold river herring. Fines for illegal possession of river herring begin at $50 for a first offense, and increase to $100-$500 for a second offense. For more information, click river herring regulation.

Anglers are also reminded that during Delaware’s striped bass spawning season, which begins April 1 and continues through midnight on May 31, it is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass from the Nanticoke River or its tributaries, the Delaware River and its tributaries to the north of a line extending due east beginning at and including the south jetty at the mouth of the C&D Canal, or the C&D Canal or its tributaries. Anglers are required to practice catch and release fishing during this season with no harvest allowed in these areas.

In addition, regulations require anglers fishing with natural bait on any striped bass spawning ground during the closed spawning season to use a non-offset circle hook. The Division of Fish & Wildlife recommends that circle hooks always be used when fishing natural baits because of their proven ability to reduce hook-and-release mortality for striped bass and other fish species. The circle hook’s design usually results in fish being hooked in the mouth, simplifying hook removal and reducing injury to the released fish.

As fish begin entering the spillways this spring, anglers are reminded that using any type of net to catch fish in tidal water within 300 feet below a dam or spillway is illegal, with the exception of using a landing net on a fish caught with hook and line.

Most anglers are required to have a Delaware fishing license. Licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, 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 fishing in Delaware, click on 2017 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 http://de.gov/ogt.

Like 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.

Media contact: Sgt. John McDerby, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386.

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Support sought for program for ages 12-15

DOVER – If you are a student aged 12 to 15 with an interest in natural resources and law enforcement, applications are now being accepted for the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police’s second annual summer Youth Academy. Designed to teach students boating safety, hunter safety and how to protect our natural resources, and to nurture the relationship between our law enforcement officers and the community, the Youth Academy is held free of charge, with lunch provided for all participants.

Following its inaugural success last year, the summer program has been expanded this year to offer two sessions of the Basic Youth Academy, one each in New Castle County and Kent County, and an Advanced Youth Academy session in New Castle County. Students who complete the basic program will receive both their hunter safety and boating safety certifications.

The Advanced Youth Academy is open to anyone 12 to 15 years old who has either completed the 2016 Basic Youth Academy or has previously acquired his or her hunting safety and boating safety certifications. Participants will continue their education on the duties of a natural resources police officer, as well as learning additional outdoor skills. The advanced program includes a camping excursion with mandatory parent/guardian participation.

The three sessions will be held as follows:

• Natural Resources Police Basic Youth Academy Session I – 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 26-30, Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901; Application deadline: Friday, May 19
• Natural Resources Police Basic Youth Academy Session II – 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, July 10-14, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720; Application deadline: Friday, June 2
• Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy – 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, August 1-5, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center,1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720; Application deadline: Friday, June 2

Each session is limited to the first 20 qualified applicants.

For the Basic Youth Academy, priority is given to those who have not already completed a hunter safety course or boating safety course. Applications must include a 250-word essay written by the applicant explaining why he or she wants to take part in the academy and what Delaware’s natural resources mean to him or her.

For the Advanced Youth Academy, priority is given to those who have already completed the Basic Youth Academy. Applications must include a 500-word essay written by the applicant explaining what the applicant learned from the 2016 Youth Academy or, if he or she did not attend the academy, what the applicant learned from hunter and boating safety courses.

“The Youth Academy is an excellent opportunity for our future outdoors men and women to obtain their boater and hunter safety certifications, learn about Delaware’s great outdoors and gain insight into what it’s like to be a Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Officer,” said Captain Brian Pollock, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police. “The advanced academy builds on the fundamentals learned from the basic academy and gives the students additional skills and training that would assist them in becoming the future guardians of Delaware’s natural resources as well as becoming a better hunter and angler.”

Applications for the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Academy are available online at http://de.gov/fwenforcement and at the Delaware Fish & Wildlife licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Opportunities to support the Youth Academy are available, with the success of last year’s inaugural program made possible through the generous support and donations from various businesses, private organizations and individuals.

For more information regarding the Youth Academy or to inquire about supporting the program, please contact Captain Brian Pollock at 302-365-8703 or email brian.pollock@delaware.gov.

Like 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.

This project is part of Delaware’s Children in Nature Initiative, a statewide effort to improve environmental literacy in Delaware, create opportunities for children to participate in enriching outdoor experiences, combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles. Delaware’s multi-agency initiative, which partners state and federal agencies with community organizations, is part of the national No Child Left Inside program.

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

Vol. 47, No. 59

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Reminder for the week: Time to purchase your 2017 Delaware fishing license

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 Feb. 27- March 5 made 999 contacts with anglers, hunters, boaters and the general public, including 10 vessel boardings for boating safety, hunting and fishing regulation compliance checks, issuing 10 citations. Officers responded to 35 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. An increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and associated recreational trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions
Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Public Safety: Theft of services (1), and drive a motor vehicle without a valid license (2).

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (6)*, and operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (1)*.
*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind anglers to purchase their 2017 Delaware fishing licenses. A valid fishing license is required for fishing, crabbing and clamming in Delaware in both tidal and non-tidal waters.

A resident annual fishing license costs $8.50 for ages 16 through 64. Anglers under the age of 16 and residents age 65 and older are not required to purchase fishing licenses in Delaware. Some requirements differ for non-resident anglers. Exempt persons may purchase fishing licenses if they so choose to help support fisheries management in Delaware.

Recreational anglers 16 years and older fishing Delaware waters also are required to obtain a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number; this number is generated automatically on all individual fishing licenses sold through Delaware’s electronic licensing system. License-exempt anglers, including Delaware residents 65 and older; non-resident boat fishing license holders who do not have an individual license; and individuals who do not have an individual license fishing on licensed boats must obtain their free FIN number by visiting http://www.delaware-fin.comor calling 800-432-9228 toll-free.

Delaware fishing licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, 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 fishing in Delaware, click on 2017 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 http://de.gov/ogt.

Like 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.

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Sunday deer hunting participation boosts record harvest

DOVER – Delaware hunters harvested 14,742 deer during the 2016/17 hunting season, surpassing 2015/16’s record of 14,681 deer taken, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife announced today. This season marks the seventh time within the last 12 years the deer harvest has exceeded 14,000 since Delaware’s first modern-day deer season was held in 1954.

Sussex County had the highest harvest with 7,675 deer, followed by Kent County with 4,397 and New Castle County with 2,670.

With Sunday deer hunting allowed in the state for the first time, a total of 1,170 deer were harvested on the five Sundays open to deer hunting on private lands and Division of Fish & Wildlife public wildlife areas.

“Sunday deer hunting provided additional hunting opportunities and another tool to help manage Delaware’s robust deer population,” said Division Fish & Wildlife Director David Saveikis. “Sunday deer hunting occurred throughout the state without any notable conflict thanks to hunter ethics, including on division public wildlife areas where different outdoor recreational activities were compatibly managed.”

“We are analyzing how Sunday deer hunting contributed to the overall harvest,” said Division Wildlife Biologist Emily Boyd. “Preliminary analysis of this year’s deer harvest surpassing last year’s total strongly suggests that the five Sundays helped achieve the record harvest, despite less than ideal weather during some of the more popular hunting weekends.”

During the 2016/17 season, hunters harvested more females (does) than males (bucks), with 51.3 percent (7,556) does and 48.7 percent (7,186) bucks. Antlerless deer – does, juvenile bucks without antlers known as button bucks, antlered bucks with antlers measuring less than three inches and bucks that had already shed both of their antlers when harvested – represented 67.9 percent of the total harvest.

In addition to the new statewide harvest record, several other deer records were set by hunters this past season:

• Kent County: 4,397 deer harvested
• Antlered bucks harvested in a single season: 4,729
• Total bucks harvested in a single season: 7,186

“Many hunters enjoyed success this year as indicated by the total harvest as well as several new records set, and we fully expect hunters to continue to enjoy Delaware’s deer hunting opportunities for years to come,” said Wildlife Section Administrator Rob Hossler. “As we continue to analyze the harvest data, we anticipate finding other harvest records that were broken this past season and will share those on the Division of Fish & Wildlife website when they become available.”

For more information about the Delaware deer harvest or other deer-related information, please contact Emily Boyd at 302-735-3600, or visit the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Delaware Deer Information webpage. Additional harvest data will be available on this webpage at a later date following more detailed analysis of the harvest data.

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

Vol. 47, No. 50

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DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife today announced the winning entries in the 2016/17 Delaware Hunting Photo Contest. First place was awarded to Bo Wilkinson of Dagsboro for “Couples Retreat,” featuring his friend Morgan Anton after a successful waterfowl hunt on the Indian River. The second place winner was “Opening Day Calls,” taken by H. Joe Gannon III of Felton, showing his son Quade in a pond near Harrington.

Entries receiving honorable mention were:

• “Waiting Patiently,” by Barbara Greer of Middletown, featuring her yellow Labrador retriever Riley in
• “Catching Zs,” by Mari-Carmen Rupp of Dover, featuring her son Xander in the Little Creek Wildlife Area
• “Best Friends,” by David Laux of Laurel, featuring his son Owen and Maggie the Golden retriever in the Nanticoke Wildlife Area.

The winning photo will appear on the cover or inside the 2017/2018 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide. The hunting guide will be available in July 2017 online, at the DNREC license desk in Dover and from hunting license agents statewide.

Three judges – Division of Fish & Wildlife Director David Saveikis, and local photographers Craig Rhoads and Freda Barrett, both DNREC employees – reviewed all the entries and narrowed them to the top five.

“The Division’s annual hunting photo contest provides a great opportunity for hunters to capture and share their hunting experiences with other hunters,” said Director Saveikis.

For more information about future Division of Fish & Wildlife photo contests, please visit de.gov/fwphotos, or contact Jennifer Childears at 302-739-9910, or email jennifer.childears@delaware.gov.

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

Vol. 47, No. 43

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