When will I be required to have a license to fish, crab, or clam in Delaware's tidal waters? Jan. 1, 2008.
When will the new licenses be available to purchase? New licenses will be available for purchase in early- to mid-December.
What are my options when purchasing licenses? The following are options available to anglers:· Resident annual fishing license - $8.50
· Non-resident annual fishing license - $20.00
· 7-day tourist fishing license - $12.50
· Charter boat license (vessel hired on a per trip basis) - $150 for Residents/$300 Non-Resident
· Head boat license (vessel hired on a per person basis) - $300 Resident/$600 Non- Resident
· Recreational Boat license less than 20’- $40 - Same cost for Residents and Non-Residents.
· Recreational Boat license longer than 20’- $50 - Same cost for Residents and Non-Residents.
NOTE: A license is required in all waters to fish, clam or crab.
At what age do I need a license? Residents age 16 to 64 inclusive, and non-residents 16 and older, need a license.
Will I need both a boat fishing license and a general fishing license? No, you will need one or the other not both, depending on individual circumstances. During Fish & Wildlife's public hearings/workshops on the new fishing license, anglers unanimously requested the option for a boat fishing license. Residents will receive a complimentary $8.50 general fishing license as well when they purchase a boat fishing license (only for the owner of the boat). Non-residents will receive only the boat fishing license.
If someone owns a boat, and only uses it one week a year to fish, must they buy the special boat fishing license? No one must buy a boat fishing license. This is one of two options. You may buy a boat fishing license or you may buy an individual license. It is up to each angler to make the determination that is best for him/her depending on how they fish. The boat license covers everyone on the licensed vessel while they are fishing on that vessel.
Can the owner of a boat license and his guests walk out to clam or crab from a shoreline access site without the boat? Only a resident who owns the boat and has a boat license may walk from shore to clam or crab without using the boat. Guests would not be covered under his or her individual license. The boat license really benefits those individuals who often have guests that go with them that do not have a license. The boat license will be a decal that is affixed to the boat.
If I have a boat license and I anchor my boat out in the Bay, may I wade and clam without further licensing as long as the boat is nearby? Can the rest of my party from the boat do the same? Yes to both questions.
If I have a boat license and my boat is docked, can I crab from the pier? Yes, if you are a resident, because you also have a complimentary license, but any others in your party who are crabbing are subject to licensing provisions. A non-resident boat license holder would also need a fishing license if he or she is not actually fishing from the boat that is licensed.
If two people have a surf fishing permit/vehicle license for their vehicles, can the two people go in one vehicle to fish without a special fishing permit? Also, if they take friends along to surf fish, do the friends need a special permit? Only the operator of the vehicle that is permitted may fish without a license on the beach. Any other anglers will need to have a general $8.50 (resident) or $12.50 (tourist) or $20.00 (non-resident) license regardless of whether or not they have another vehicle permit. The exemption in the code is only for the vehicle operator who has the surf tag.
I am a resident and 65 years or older. What are my exemptions from licensing? You are exempt from licensing whether you are on your boat or fishing from shore. However, if you are on your boat and there are people who are not exempt from licensing, they must have licenses. Your options are to have each individual obtain a license or you may purchase a boat fishing license. You would need to purchase a boat fishing license because your age exemption does not allow you to transfer that exemption to other people.
Is my boat registration the same or does it take the place of the boat fishing license?There is no relationship between a boat registration and a boat fishing license. The boat registration would still need to be renewed when due.
I am a non-resident who enjoys fishing in both tidal and non-tidal areas. If I have a Delaware boat license for my big boat, will it cover me when I fish in the freshwater pond from shore? No. The boat license only covers residents in both tidal and non-tidal areas. In this case a non-resident would be required to purchase a general fishing license or 7-day license.
I own more than one boat. Do I need a boat license for both, or can I transfer it from one to the other? A boat license cannot be transferred from one boat to another. Therefore, it does not cover you if you were on someone else’s boat, and it does not cover both boats. (Clarified: April 10, 2008.)
I have a boat fishing license that I use on a boat in tidal water. Can I use the boat in non-tidal waters with the same boat fishing license? Yes.
How many crabs and clams can I take with my recreational fishing license? A resident may take a bushel of crabs and 100 clams. A non-resident may take a bushel of crabs and 50 clams. If a person wishes to take more than 100 clams up to and including 500 clams per day, he or she needs to purchase a Non-Commercial Clamming Permit for an additional $5.75; the Non-Commercial Clamming Permit costs $57.50 for non-residents.
If I fish exclusively in federal ocean waters outside of Delaware’s 3-mile limit, do I need a Delaware fishing license? No, unless you drop a line on the way while inside of the 3-mile limit.
If I launch from Delaware and fish in Delaware Bay only on the New Jersey side of the Bay, do I need a Delaware fishing license? No. However, if you return to Delaware waters by boat, any catches you made in NJ waters must still conform to Delaware possession limits (minimum size, daily harvest limits).
If I launch my boat from New Jersey and fish in the Delaware River between the upstream tip of Artificial Island and the Delaware/Pennsylvania line, do I need a Delaware fishing license? Yes, because Delaware’s jurisdiction extends to the New Jersey low tide line between the upstream tip of Artificial Island and the DE/PA line. If you fish from shore in New Jersey, you do not need a Delaware fishing license.
Do I need a fishing license if I fish on a private pond? The only exemption is for residents who own or live upon farms in Delaware containing 20 or more acres, and the members of their immediate families who reside on the farm. They may hunt, fish and trap on the farm without being licensed.
I have a boat registered in Delaware and I have a Maryland Boat Fishing License. Do I need a Delaware Boat Fishing License? You need a Delaware Boat Fishing License to fish in any of Delaware’s waters. Delaware does not have reciprocity agreement with any other state at this time.
May I launch my boat in Delaware without a Delaware boat fishing license to travel to Maryland or another state to fish where I have a legal license to fish in that state? Yes, but you cannot fish in Delaware waters along the way there.
What are the licensing requirements and exemptions for residents and non-residents for hunting and fishing? See Title 7, Chapter 5, Delaware Code.
