UPDATED: Virtual Public Hearing for DNREC Proposed Standalone Total Fish Length Regulation – Wednesday, March 25
UPDATED – 03/24/26 – DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold a virtual public hearing Wednesday, March 25, at 6pm to consider comments from the public on a proposed regulation detailing the definition of total fish length.
The proposed amendments may be inspected online at http://regulations.delaware.gov/services/current_issue.shtml or in-person, by appointment only, by contacting responsible staff John Clark by phone at 302-739-9914 or by email at John.Clark@delaware.gov.
The web link to the virtual hearing can be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearings site at https://de.gov/dnrechearings . If prompted, use Meeting ID: 827 9244 2257 Passcode: 515819. To access the audio-only portion of the virtual hearing, dial 1-646-931-3860 and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode noted above. Closed captioning is available in over 20 languages, including English and Spanish, via the Zoom platform utilized for all DNREC Public Hearings.
Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC public hearings must pre-register no later than noon on the date of the virtual hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by contacting the Office of Administrative Services by telephone at 302-739-9001. Language assistance is available by request within 10 business days of the hearing.
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ORIGINAL STORY – 02/27/26 – DNREC is proposing a new regulation 3560 that will provide a detailed definition of total fish length – for any fisheries that use total length to define legal minimum and /or maximum fish length. This action is required for Delaware to remain in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Fisheries Management Plan, but the Division of Fish and Wildlife is opting to create a standalone regulation for total length – not solely to striped bass.
A virtual public hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 25th beginning at 6pm.
Additional information from DNREC:
STATUTORY BASIS OR LEGAL AUTHORITY TO ACT:
OTHER REGULATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSAL:
This regulation will improve the enforceability of those regulations comprising 7 Delaware Administrative Code 3500 Tidal Finfish that use the Total Length measurement to establish a legal minimum and/or maximum fish length. By clearly explaining the legal definition of Total Length, this proposed regulation should eliminate disputes about the length of a fish.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT:
A virtual public hearing (Docket #2025-R-F-0025) will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, beginning at 6 p.m. The web link to the virtual hearing can be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearings site at https://de.gov/dnrechearings .If prompted, use Meeting ID: 827 9244 2257 and Passcode: 515819. To access the audio-only portion of the virtual hearing, dial 1-646-931-3860 and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode noted above. Language assistance is available by request within 10 business days of the hearing. Closed captioning is available via the Zoom virtual meeting tool.
Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC public hearings must pre-register no later than noon on the date of the virtual hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by telephone at 302-739-9001.
The proposed amendments may be inspected online starting March 1, 2026 at https://regulations.delaware.gov/register/current_issue, or in-person, by appointment only, by contacting John Clark by phone at 302-739-9914 or by email at John.Clark@delaware.gov.
Public comments will be accepted through the close of business on Friday, April 10, 2026. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, or by using the online form at https://de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the following address:
Theresa Smith, Hearing Officer
DNREC – Office of the Secretary
89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901
A virtual public hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 25th beginning at 6pm.
3560 Total Length
1.0 Total Length
Unless otherwise defined in 3500 Tidal Finfish, Total Length (TL) means the greatest straight-line length in inches as measured on a fish from the anterior most tip of the jaw or snout to the farthest extremity of the tail with the upper and lower fork of the tail squeezed together.