Surf-fishing tag website crashes

UPDATE: As of 11:20 a.m., the website is back online. 

ORIGINAL POST: The Delaware State Parks website crashed shortly after 10 a.m., Feb. 1, as a result of high traffic of people seeking to purchase a surf-fishing tag the first day they’re available. 

“Delaware State Parks is working to address any technical problems arising from the first day of the 2022 permits going on sale,” said Michael Globetti, a Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control spokesman. 

The purchase of a surf-fishing permit allows individuals to drive onto designated beaches for fishing. First-time permit holders must also obtain a surf-fishing license plate on which to affix their surf-fishing permit decal. In addition to entry onto Delaware State Parks drive-on beaches, the decal enables the vehicle to gain entrance into the other state parks without paying the daily entrance fee.

Surf-fishing permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and are capped at 17,000 annually to manage a limited resource, protect against overcrowding of parks beaches, and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors to Delaware’s award-winning state parks system. The surf-fishing permit fee for Delaware residents is $90, and the fee is $180 for out-of-state residents. Delaware residents 62 and older will receive a discounted rate of $80.

In 2021, 77 percent of surf-fishing permits were held by Delaware residents and 23 percent were held by residents of other states.

To purchase a surf-fishing tag, go to destateparks.com/Know/PassesTagsFees.