Anglers invited to fish for free in Delaware waters June 6 and 7

Anglers invited to fish for free in Delaware waters June 6 and 7

DOVER (June 1, 2015) – Been thinking of casting a line into a nearby stream or daydreaming about a sunny afternoon at the beach with your surf rod, but just haven’t gotten around to purchasing your 2015 Delaware fishing license yet? DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife has an opportunity for you.

To celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, June 6-14, the Division of Fish & Wildlife invites you to test your luck fishing, clamming and crabbing by offering free fishing days on Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7. On these two days, anyone may fish the state’s waters without a fishing license.

Anglers are reminded that even though they don’t need a license to fish on June 6 or 7, they are still required to obtain a free Fisherman Identification Network (F.I.N.) number. A free F.I.N. number can be obtained online atwww.delaware-fin.com or by calling 1-800-432-9228. Anglers also are required to comply with Delaware’s fishing regulations, including size and daily catch limits.

National Fishing Week festivities will also include DNREC’s 29^th Annual Youth Fishing Tournament from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 6. Sponsored by the Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, the event will take place at a pond in each county: Ingrams Pond in Millsboro, Wyoming Pond in Wyoming and the dog training area at Lums Pond State Park in Bear. Participants are asked to arrive before 10 a.m. to register for the tournament.

With the exception of this one weekend, resident and non-resident anglers from the ages of 16 through 64 who fish, crab or clam in any Delaware waters – including ponds, impoundments, streams, rivers, bays and ocean – are required to purchase a fishing license. Delaware residents 65 or older and both residents and non-residents under age 16 are not required to purchase a license, although exempt persons may purchase fishing licenses if they so choose to help support fisheries management and trout stocking efforts. Licenses are required for non-residents age 65 and older.

Delaware fishing licenses cost $8.50 for residents, while non-residents pay $20 a year or $12.50 for a seven-day license. Fishing licenses are sold online, at the licensing office in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, and by license agents statewide. To find the participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visitDelaware Licenses. For additional information on Delaware fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

For more information on fishing in Delaware, click on 2015 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk, and from license agents throughout the state.

The Youth Fishing Tournament is part of Delaware’s Children in Nature Initiative, a statewide effort to improve environmental literacy in Delaware, create opportunities for children to participate in enriching outdoor experiences, combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles. Delaware’s multi-agency initiative, which partners state and federal agencies with community organizations, is part of the national No Child Left Inside program.