Workshop on access pass, increased fees well attended

I attended the workshop on wildlife services and funding this past Tuesday night at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown. It was very well attended, with hunters outnumbering non-hunters.

Division of Fish and Wildlife Director Dave Saveikis led off the meeting with an excellent PowerPoint presentation explaining how the wildlife areas are funded and why additional funding is required. Approximately 70 percent of the funds come from hunting license sales with the rest coming from the general fund. Since 2008, hunting license sales have fallen, resulting in a decrease in funds to support the wildlife areas in the state. The division has cut back spending by not filling job vacancies, closing parts of wildlife areas and not performing maintenance in some locations. This lack of money has also made it difficult to match all the federal funds available to Delaware. The federal money, which is collected by taxing the sale of hunting equipment, is given to the state on a $3-to-$1 match for projects directly related to wildlife. When license sales fall too low, we lose out on our share of federal money, and we never get it back.

There are 20 fees included in the proposal. All but the resident junior hunt, nonresident junior hunt and public blind/deer stand permit would be increased. The junior hunting licenses would remain at $5 for residents and $50 for nonresidents. The public blind/deer stand permit would no longer require a fee.

The resident hunting license would increase from $25 to $39.50. The nonresident hunting license will go from $130 to $199.50. All other hunting and trapping fees would increase by a similar percentage.

There were four conservation fees presented. These would be new and include resident and nonresident charges. A resident annual pass to all wildlife areas would cost $20. A resident three-day pass would be $7.50. Nonresidents would pay $30 for an annual pass and $12.50 for the three-day pass. All of this money would be treated like hunting license fees. It would go to a dedicated fund and be used to match federal funds.

Once the presentation was over, attendees were encouraged to meet with various Fish and Wildlife staff to discuss the issues on a one-on-one basis. These discussions were well received, and then everyone returned to the lecture hall, where public comments were made.

Everyone who spoke was polite, and most had helpful comments. A spokesman for The Nature Conservancy said they approved of the fee increases because it is very important to maintain our wildlife areas as best we can. They are so important to the public because they not only provide recreation, they also preserve these natural areas from development.

One non-hunter said he opposed the conservation fee. He left right after delivering his comment.

Somehow the discussion moved to Sunday hunting. None of the fees in question have anything to do with Sunday hunting, but nevertheless several people decided to comment on the subject.

Another hunter said an increase in fees could deter young people from participating in hunting. He felt that hunters who already pay for a license should get a discount on the conservation access fee.

Another speaker said what happens when those who don’t hunt have a conflict with those who do, since both pay to access the wildlife areas. Saveikis suggested the areas could be divided into parcels for various uses.

I was pleased to see so many people at the workshop, including several young people. I believe the comments along with those from the other two counties will give the Division of Fish and Wildlife plenty of information going forward.

ASMFC hearing

On the same evening, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission held a public hearing in Lewes to take comments on the proposed 2016 flounder regulations. The current proposal would maintain the same regulations as we enjoyed in 2015, four fish per day with a 16-inch minimum. Since I could not attend, I contacted John Clark, supervisor of Fisheries, and asked for his help.

He said another proposal would allow New Jersey to have the same regulations in the Delaware Bay as we have in Delaware. From what was said at the hearing, this idea did not receive much support.

According to John, if Delaware approves, we would continue to have regional regulations along with Maryland and Virginia. This type of management is how we ended up with our current regulations.

If you would like to comment on any or all of these subjects you have until Thursday, Jan. 21, to send them to krootes-murday@asmfc.org with the subject line of Draft Addendum XXVII.


Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age.  Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.