The Transformers

You may not have heard about them, but there are brownfields all over Delaware. They’re neither pretty nor healthy. That is, until we step in to clean them up and make way for redevelopment.

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DCMP Science Policy Internship

The Delaware Coastal Management Program is offering a virtual Science Policy summer internship position.

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More Than a Drink of WATAR

Safer water for us, less flooding and shad returning to their spawning grounds in the Brandywine River. Our WATAR team is making it happen.

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Answering the Call 24/7 – Our Emergency Response Team

Our Emergency Response Team is the state’s designated first responder for environmental emergencies. The team is on call 24/7 to respond to emergencies from oil spills to clandestine drug labs, chemical leaks, radiological incidents and many more that may occur.

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Scientific Collection Permits

The Division of Fish and Wildlife issues permits to collect protected wildlife, finfish, shellfish or their nests or eggs for scientific, education or propagating purposes. Permits are issued for up to one year and may require review and approval from a relevant taxa project leader.

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Microplastics: A Not So Tiny Tale

What happens to plastic after it fulfills its original purpose? Recycling gives many plastic items a second use but vast amounts are discarded and make their way into the environment. Some of this becomes microplastics. DNREC scientists are working on ways to clean them up.

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Our Weatherization Assistance Program – Helping Families Reduce Energy Costs

DNREC can help even out the potentially high costs of home heating, and make a home more energy efficient, through the Weatherization Assistance Program.

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Hanging with the Bats

Many of us are scared of bats. But they’re far more beneficial than harmful – and they’re not out to get us.

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“Not My Trash – But I Picked It Up.”
Coastal Cleanup 2020

For 32 years, volunteers cleared tons of trash from Delaware beaches in single-day events. In 2020, to make the Coastal Cleanup accessible and safe for everyone, the effort transitioned to a month-long campaign.

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Go Herpin’ — Join the Effort to Catalogue Delaware’s Reptiles and Amphibians

You can help us create the first-ever Delaware Amphibian and Reptile Atlas by submitting photos and locations of Delaware’s reptiles and amphibians, or as we call them, “herps.”

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Our Own Toliara

Toliara is a radiated tortoise who lives at the Brandywine Zoo. Radiated tortoises are reptiles and considered among the most beautiful in the world. His ancestors emerged on land shortly after dinosaurs became extinct some 65 million years ago.

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What About Kestrels? The Brandywine Zoo is Finding Out

The American kestrel is a pint-sized yet ferocious aerial predator notorious for taking out tree swallows or bluebirds in mid-air. About the size of a mourning dove, this raptor is the smallest and most colorful falcon in North America.

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Jellyfish to Watch Out For

Are you planning to go for a swim? If so, you may encounter jellyfish because they love warm water. And there are several species of jellies you should keep a watchful eye on as you venture out for a dip.

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Everything Including the Kitchen “Sink” — Delaware’s Artificial Reefs

Over 20 years, Delaware has recycled more than two million tons of rock, 100,000 tons of concrete, 86 tanks and armored personnel carriers, 1,329 retired subway cars and 27 retired vessels to create new, artificial reefs.

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Electric Vehicles – On the Move in Delaware

Our relationship with electric automobiles has run hot and cold over the last 100 years, with gas-powered vehicles always winning in the end. Now people are looking for cleaner alternatives as concerns for the environment increase.

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Research and Monitoring

Biologists from the Division of Fish and Wildlife keep track of the state’s fish populations. They work on Delaware’s rivers, ponds, estuaries, the Delaware Bay, and coastal waters and study how different species are faring. What Fisheries Biologists Do Fisheries Biologist John Clark captured and tagged this

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About the Division of Fish and Wildlife

We Bring You Delaware’s Great Outdoors through Science and Service   What We Do Manage the state’s fish and wildlife resources. Enforce laws and regulations designed to protect and conserve these resources. Provide hunter and boater safety education programs. Provide environmental education

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Environmental Lab

The Delaware Environmental Laboratory is a full-service lab that tests and assesses water, air, soil, hazardous materials, and biological samples. The lab helps monitor the water quality and biological health of Delaware’s surface waters. Sergio Huerta, M.D. Laboratory Administrator

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Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Spawning Survey

Citizen scientists and state researchers have surveyed the horseshoe crabs spawning along Delaware Bay beaches since 1990. The data they have collected has been key for scientists in monitoring changes in numbers of spawning crabs in the Bay.

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Fish Monitoring via Electrofisher

The Division of Fish and Wilfdlife uses electrofishing to safely sample fish populations in a variety of water bodies. Electrofishing is one of the most efficient sampling methods available to fisheries biologists. It uses an electric current to temporarily stun fish. This lets biologists sample and survey fish populations with minimal disturbance and risk to

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Visiting Scientists

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve hosts visiting scientists who conduct research of local and national significance that focuses on enhancing coastal management. 2018 Healthy Coastal Ecosystems Fellowships

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Marine Debris

Marine debris is a growing concern around the world. From our beaches to our waters, litter, microplastics, and other man-made products are making their way into aquatic environments. More research is necessary to determine the full extent of potential long-term impacts. Kari

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Coastal Monitoring

Delaware Coastal Programs monitors various environmental factors to help understand the coastal environment. The data collected provide insights into complex estuarine ecosystems. They help state and local leaders understand the vulnerability and resilience of our coast. They help us understand the effects of a changing climate. In 2017, the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve

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Coastal Science and Monitoring

An extensive and dynamic coastal science and monitoring program provides scientific data to inform management strategies for the conservation of critical coastal resources. The current focus areas include looking at issues related to climate change and sea level rise, water quality, animal and plant life, the interface between humans and the coastal ecosystem, and more.

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Report a Tagged Largemouth Bass

The Division of Fish and Wildlife monitors largemouth bass in Delaware rivers to help maintain a sustainable bass population and provide recreational fishing opportunities. Reports from anglers about the tagged bass they catch are an important part of the effort. Bass are tagged when the Division conducts

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Delaware Coastal Programs

The Coastal Programs Section of the Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy serves as the Department’s research, education, and policy lead for coastal and ocean issues. It helps manage Delaware’s federal coastal zone and balance the use and protection of its resources through the integrated efforts of the Delaware Coastal Management Program and Delaware National Estuarine Research

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Understanding Climate Change

In Delaware, scientists, state agencies and local partners are working together to understand how climate change is affecting our state. What do we know about climate change and Delaware? Climate change is already affecting Delaware. Over the coming years, we can anticipate even worse effects–more days of dangerously high heat, heavier

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