DOVER — DNREC announced Friday that Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Oct. 26-Nov. 1 made 1,287 contacts with anglers, boaters, hunters and the general public, including 66 vessel boardings for boating safety and fishing regulation compliance checks.
Officers responded to 40 complaints and issued 46 citations, five 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.
DNREC said responses included, among others:
• On Oct. 28, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited a Sussex County man and woman for one count each of loitering to engage in sex in a public area off Mulberry Knoll Road near Lewes. Both were given mandatory appearances in JP Court 3 in Georgetown.
• On Oct. 27, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police cited commercial waterman Richard S. Hand Jr., 38, of Dover, for allegedly leaving a vessel unattended at a state-owned dock at Port Mahon. Mr. Hand was fined $107, including court costs.
Citations issued this week by offense category included the following, with the number of charges in parentheses:
Wildlife Conservation: Trespassing to hunt (2), spotlighting (2), hunting from a motor vessel at night, hunting deer during a closed season (2), hunting antlerless deer with shot smaller than buckshot (2), failure to display required hunter orange during a firearms deer season (2), hunting with a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells (2), possession of an unlawfully taken Canada goose, hunting migratory waterfowl using shot larger than “T” size, possession of prohibited lead shot/shot size while hunting migratory waterfowl (2), hunting migratory waterfowl from a vessel within 1,500 feet of an established blind, hunting Canada geese out of season, carrying an unsigned federal duck stamp, hunting migratory waterfowl without required federal duck stamp, hunting migratory waterfowl without a federal HIP number, hunting in a closed area on a state wildlife area, damaging state property on a wildlife area, operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway on a state wildlife area (2), and operating a motor vehicle without insurance on a state wildlife area.
Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Fishing without a license (2).
Boating and Boating Safety: Operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (2), no fire extinguisher on board, no navigation lights (2), and operating a motor vessel without registration.
Commercial: Leaving a vessel unattended at a state-owned dock.
Public Safety: Carrying a loaded firearm in a motor vessel (4), third-degree conspiracy (2), loitering to engage in sex in a public area (2), and possession of drug paraphernalia.