(May 2020) … We received an email from the Secretary of DNREC yesterday … ” I need your help. As you know, when the Governor agreed to allow for surf fishing, it was under certain conditions, and not a way to get around beach restrictions. This weekend folks were blatantly ignoring those requirements causing my Rangers to have to spend an excessive amount of time enforcing and requiring people to leave. If this continues, we will need to discontinue surf fishing for all. Can you please help get the word out?”
DNREC Facebook page … “Surf fishing is a popular activity along the Delaware State Parks ocean beaches, but there are several restrictions in place during the pandemic, which were not being followed by some this weekend. Surf fishing is allowed only from vehicles at least 20 yards apart, with only two people from the same residence per vehicle, and both must be actively fishing. The activities that are normally allowed around surf fishing vehicles, such as swimming, reading, tanning, playing games on the beach, are not currently allowed either with or without a surf fishing permit. Please follow these rules so that the limited, socially distant use of beaches can continue (and it is up to a $500 fine for those who don’t). “
If we don’t follow these restrictions the state of Delaware will cut off the access. It is easier to shut something down than babysit people who can’t follow a simple few rules. “I watched people get tossed off a couple beaches the last few days. They had to many people, only one pole out with two people, parked too close together in groups, and some not fishing at all.”
I know the families hate they can only have two people in a vehicle but this was set up so surf anglers could fish for food, not have a day at the beach to play.
Those of you going out there anyway are going to get that $500 fine. A few people have already received that over the weekend.
The Cape Henlopen pier beaches are closed. The anglers and kayakers that are traversing barriers or sneaking through the woods to fish the beaches and launch kayaks. Those actions are going to get the entire area shut down. Anglers have been heard saying I don’t give a %$#* %$*# I’ll take the fine, be prepared to get that fine. Is it worth $150 to $500 to catch a bluefish?