GEORGETOWN – During an ongoing investigation into reports of illegal dumping in the Georgetown area, Natural Resources Police Officers with DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit arrested two Delaware men Sept. 22 on illegal dumping and drug-paraphernalia-related charges.

Harry Harrison, 50, of Houston, Del., was charged with one count of causing or contributing to the disposal or discharge of solid waste materials, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, marijuana-related. Harrison was issued a citation for both charges and ordered to pick up the trash he was observed disposing at the scene.

Basil Wilson, 26, of Dover was charged with one count of causing or contributing to the disposal or discharge of solid waste materials. Wilson was also issued a citation and ordered to pick up the trash illegally disposed at the site.

Residents can report illegal trash dumping to DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit by calling the 24-hour environmental complaints line at 800-662-8802.

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

Vol. 48, No. 260

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MILLSBORO – Following an investigation into complaints of illegal dumping in the area, Natural Resources Police Officers with DNREC’s Environmental Crimes Unit arrested a Millsboro man May 25 for illegal dumping of refuse and yard waste debris.

Robert W. Gordy Sr., 70, was charged with two counts of using a motor vehicle during, or in the aid of the disposal or discharge of solid waste materials. The charges carry a minimum fine of $500 each.

Gordy was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown and released on $200 unsecured bail.

Residents are encouraged to report illegal trash dumping to DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit by calling the 24-hour environmental complaints line at 800-662-8802.

Vol. 48, No. 139

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DOVER – If you are a student aged 12 to 15 with an interest in natural resources and law enforcement, Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police is once again offering summer Youth Academies.

The Youth Academy is a five-day program designed to teach youth about boating safety, hunter safety, and how to protect our natural resources while looking to nurture the relationship between our law enforcement officers and the community. Participants in the Youth Academy attend tuition-free.

This year’s offerings include a Basic Youth Academy and two Advanced Youth Academies:

• Natural Resources Police Basic Youth Academy (New Castle County)
  Monday through Friday, June 25-29, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
  Application Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2018
• Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy (Kent County)
  Tuesday through Saturday, July 10-14, Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901
  Application Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2018
• Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy (New Castle County)
  Tuesday through Saturday, July 17-21, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
  Application Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2018

The Basic Youth Academy is limited to the first 20 qualified applicants, with priority given to those who have not already completed a hunter safety course or boating safety course when the academy begins. Applications must include a 250-word essay on why the applicant wants to take part in the Academy and what Delaware’s natural resources mean to him or her. Students who complete the program will receive both their hunter and boating safety certifications.

The Advanced Youth Academies are for those who wish to continue learning what it is like to be a Natural Resources Police Officer, as well as learning additional outdoor skills. The Advanced Academies are open to youth ages 12 to 15 years old who have either completed the Basic Youth Academy or have already earned their hunter safety and boating safety certifications. An overnight camping excursion is included and parent/guardian participation is mandatory for this portion.

The Advanced Youth Academies are limited to the first 15 qualified applicants, with priority given to those who have already completed the Basic Youth Academy. Applications must include a 500-word essay on either what they learned from the Basic Youth Academy or, if they did not attend, what the applicant learned when they took their hunter and boating safety courses.

Applications are available online at de.gov/fwenforcement, and at DNREC’s licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Opportunities to support the Youth Academies are available. Without the generous support and donations from our community businesses, private organizations and individuals, the youth academies would not be successful.

For more information regarding the Youth Academy, please call Captain Brian Pollock at 302-365-8703 or email brian.pollock@delaware.gov.

Vol. 48, No. 31

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

Tournament marks the start of National Fishing & Boating Week June 3-11; entry forms online

DOVER – As part of activities for National Fishing and Boating Week, June 3-11, DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police will hold its 31st Annual Youth Fishing Tournament from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 3 at Ingrams Pond in Millsboro, Akridge Scout Reservation in Camden and at the dog training area of Lums Pond State Park in Bear. This is the first year the new Akridge Scout Reservation’s pond has been the tournament’s Kent County site.

The tournament is open to youths ages 4 through 15. An adult must accompany youths under age 12 and contestants must bring their own fishing equipment. Prizes will be awarded at 1:30 p.m. in three age groups: 4-7, 8-11 and 12-15. The tournament is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to arrive before 10 a.m. to register for the tournament.

The tournament was established to introduce youth to the sport of fishing and to teach the catch-and-release approach to conservation.

“Since the tournament’s first year in ‘86, this event has grown tremendously and has exposed more than 200 youths each year to sport fishing,” said Lt. John McDerby of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, which sponsors the tournament.

In addition to the fishing tournament celebrating National Fishing and Boating Week, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife has designated June 3 and 4 as free fishing days when anyone may fish in Delaware waters without a fishing license.

Anglers are reminded that even though they don’t need a license to fish on those two days, those who are age 16 and older are still required to obtain a free Fisherman Identification Network (F.I.N.) number, available online at www.delaware-fin.com or by calling 1-800-432-9228. Anglers also are required to comply with Delaware’s fishing regulations, including size and daily catch limits.

For more information on the Youth Fishing Tournament, including the registration form, please call 302-739-9913 or click 2017 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.

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

Vol. 47, No. 121

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Reminder for the week: Tautog season closed through July 16; possession prohibited

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 May 1-7 made 4,630 contacts with anglers, hunters, boaters and the general public, including 32 vessel boardings for boating safety, hunting and fishing regulation compliance checks, issuing 11 citations.

Officers responded to 22 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 in the Community

• On May 3, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers attended the annual Delaware Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony held at Legislative Hall in Dover.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Incidents of note:

• On May 1, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Thomas W. Hendricks, 63, of Frederica following a commercial fisheries compliance check near Bowers Beach, and charged him with one count of exceeding the commercial individual catch quota for striped bass. Hendricks was arraigned at Kent County Justice of the Peace Court 7 where he plead guilty and was fined $179, including court costs.
• Also on May 1, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police arrested Marion J. Rowan, 56, of Hartly following a commercial fisheries compliance check near Cedar Creek, and charged him with one count of exceeding the commercial individual catch quota for striped bass. Rowan was arraigned at Kent County Justice of the Peace Court 7 where he plead guilty and was fined $179, including court costs.

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

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Unlicensed fishing (2)*, possession of undersized white perch (2)*, possession of undersized blue crabs (1), and use of recreational crab pots without required turtle excluder (1). Commercial: unlawful for commercial fisherman to exceed individual quota for striped bass (2).

Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (1), and no life jacket on a child age 12 or younger as required by law (1).

Other: 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.

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.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind anglers that landing and possession of tautog in Delaware is prohibited from May 12 – July 16 and again from Sept. 1- 28, regardless of where the fish was caught – whether Delaware waters, another state’s waters or federal waters.

• Tautog typically spawn in offshore waters in late spring to early summer. Due to their slow reproduction and growth, the species is vulnerable to overfishing, and Delaware’s regulations are based on management guidelines issued by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to protect stocks from overfishing. Regulations include:
  A tautog size minimum of 15 inches for all seasons;
• A possession limit of five fish from Jan. 1 – March 31, July 17 – Aug. 31, and Sept. 29 – Dec. 31; and
• A possession limit of three fish from April 1 – May 11.

For a complete anglers’ guide to fishing in Delaware, click Delaware fish species; for specific information on tautog, click here.

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, 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 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.

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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