(LEWES, Del.) - Surf Fishing permit rates on Delaware Beaches are going up again. Believe it or not, many surf fishermen came out to DNREC's meeting to show their support. They feel that what really needs to be increased is enforcement.
"We guard the surf. We guard the beach," says Harry Aiken of Georgetown.
For decades surf anglers have cast their lines off of Delaware's beaches. Harry was the first to buy a surf fishing tag and drive up to the shore. "It was only $3," he exclaims.
The Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation (DNREC) has increased the rates for surf fishing permits since Harry started fishing. They're now raising it again for the second time in the last 15 years.
The price for Delaware residents is increasing from $80 to $90 and $160 to $180 for out of state residents.
Director of Delaware State Parks, Ray Bivens says DNREC is also capping the number of permits. "Right now we're issuing about 17,000 a year. We're seeing a 7% increase. We knew something had to be done to manage the program," he says.
Harry agrees that these higher rates are needed. "The population explosion has come down there and everything and all along the coast, the beach traffic."
Harry isn't worried about DNREC limiting the number of permits to be issued so long as there is increased enforcement to stop people who aren't really at the beach to fish. He says, "It is only a surf fishing permit not a party permit and so many people use it as that."
Bivens says that the same rules will be enforced but that DNREC is using a new app called "tip 411" for people to report these "fake fishermen" and anyone else who seems to be violating beach rules directly to the park rangers.
"If there's someone that's come and is set up for an hour and not even tried to fish, please shoot us a message through the app and it makes our enforcement job really easy," Bivens says.
Two year Surf fishing permits can be purchased at the same price for a couple more weeks. The new rates and the restriction on the number of tags issued will not take effect until February 1st.