Contact: Sgt. Gregory Rhodes, Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement, 302-542-6102, or Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902
Fish & Wildlife Enforcement very active over Memorial Day weekend
DOVER (June 3, 2011) – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Section made its presence very well-known throughout Delaware and on the state’s waters over the extended Memorial Day weekend, with 1,101 contacts, 653 vessel boardings and 78 arrests over the four-day period.
Fish & Wildlife Enforcement also acted as the lead agency investigating Delaware’s first boating fatality of 2011. Min L. McManus, 31, of Millsboro, was aboard a Sea-Doo watercraft near Herring Creek on Rehoboth Bay last Sunday when it was struck by another Sea-Doo operated by Brandon C. Bennett, 20, also of Millsboro. She died of injuries sustained in the collision; an investigation into the accident continues.
Holiday weekend arrests by Fish & Wildlife Enforcement ranged from taking undersized blue crabs to negligent operation of a boat; child personal flotation device violations and wake violations, to fishing without a license. Among the more notable were:
· A 46-year-old Smyrna man, Charles F. Humbertson, was charged last week with several violations of food fishing regulations after F&W agents received a tip that he was illegally setting fish pots in the Smyrna River. Mr. Humbertson also was wanted for failing to appear in court for a fish and wildlife violation of trespassing to trap turtles in 2009. He pled guilty to two equipment violations, a net-marking violation, a permit violation and also to the outstanding trespassing charge, and was ordered to pay $456 in fines and associated costs.
· Charles B. Tully, 38, of Bridgeville and Joseph Jordan, 43, address unknown, were cited for negligent operation of a vessel after they were observed allowing children to hang over the sides the boats they were operating. Mr. Tully was cited May 30 on the Roosevelt Inlet, Mr. Jordan May 29 on the Nanticoke River.
Vol. 41, No. 216
