DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Blotter July 30-Aug. 10
Reminder for the week: Be Aware of the importance of life jackets

DOVER (Aug. 12, 2011) – 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 Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement agents issued 42 citations and numerous warnings for violations of recreational boating and fishing regulations between July 30 and Aug. 10. In addition, Enforcement reported the year’s third boating-related fatality.

·         On Aug. 6, James Lefever, age 63, of Lancaster, Pa., was pronounced dead after his sailboat capsized in Rehoboth Bay near Dewey Beach. Lefever and another passenger, who was uninjured, were pulled from the water by emergency responders. Neither was wearing a life jacket. An investigation by Enforcement is pending results from the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Citations issued from July 30 to Aug. 10 included the following:

Boating Safety: Negligent operation of a vessel, child life jacket violation, slow no wake violation, required vessel carriage equipment violation, operator of a personal watercraft not wearing a life jacket, no boating safety education certificate.

Fisheries Conservation: recreational possession of undersized blue crabs, improperly marked recreational crab pots, person other than owner of record rending crab pots, possession of summer flounder parts, no fishing license.

Wildlife Conservation: Entering a state wildlife area after hours, operating a vehicle off an established roadway, dumping trash in a state wildlife area.

Other: Parking violations at boat launch facilities.

Are you AWARE of the importance of life jackets?
For this week’s Be Aware reminder from the Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section, agents would like to remind boaters of state regulations regarding life jackets and the importance of wearing them.

Under Delaware law, children under age 12 are required to wear life jackets while underway in any vessel on Delaware waters. Vessels are also required to carry enough life jackets for the number of persons on board, although with the exception of personal watercraft operators, adults are not required to wear them. However, the Delaware Office of Boating Safety encourages everyone to wear life jackets, especially those with limited swimming skills.

“Boating accidents can happen very fast – and there’s no time to reach for a stowed life jacket and put it on. Like seatbelts in automobiles, we know without question that life jackets save lives. Today’s life jackets are also more effective, more comfortable and even more fashionable than in the past, so there’s simply no reason not to use them,” said Sgt. Gregory Rhodes of the Office of Boating Safety.

Not a single child has died on Delaware waters as a result of drowning without a life jacket in a boating accident since the inception of the child floatation device law in 1991, Rhodes added.

For more information, visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Boating .

Citizens are encouraged to report fish and wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section at 302-739-4580.

Vol. 41, No. 315