While life vests have morphed into personal flotation devices (PFDs) in terminology and from bulky egg-cartons-around-your-neck to comfortable vests, some rules also have been added.

Sgt. Ken Turner of the Natural Resources Police noted this, as I considered the purchase of an inflatable suspender-type vest, originally developed by SOSpenders, and now available everywhere.

Coast Guard rules and regulations require carrying a PFD and having it available in case of emergency. They should be — but do not have to be — worn at all times. If the new strap-suspender type V PFD is used as part of the boat allotment for passengers, it must be worn. Thus, on a boat with four occupants and two vest-type PFDs and two type V suspender-style PFDs, the two suspender-types must be worn.

If there are four vest-type and two extra suspender types, the suspender types do not have to be worn, since the foam vest type make up the “available” Coast Guard requirement of one for each passenger.

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» There could be another definite advantage to those blow-up suspender vests, since you have to wear them if they are part of the allotted PFDs on board. National Safe Boating Week (through today and just before the big Memorial Day boating weekend) notes that most of the boating deaths on Maryland waters could have been prevented had life jackets been worn. From 2006 to 2007, Maryland boating deaths are up (from eight to 10) along with injuries (163 to 208).

Nationwide, two-thirds of all fatal boating accident victims drowned. And of those who drowned, 90 percent were not wearing a lifejacket.

» Natural Resources Police are ramping up their officer base with acceptance of 30 new officers — 15 with former police training and 15 entry level. At the same time, this week saw the addition of two specialists to the NRP — Dock, who works with Cpl. John M. Vogt, and Ruddy, who partners with Officer David S. Rice. Dock and Ruddy have special training in wildlife detection (deer and turkey), evidence recovery and human tracking. Oh yeah, both are Labradors, four-footed NRP officers, who join Bear, Blu, Liberty and Patriot to aid two-footed NRP officers throughout the state and neighboring areas.

» Spring turkey season ends today, with a few baiting cases cited as the result of a few unscrupulous types trying to take an illegal advantage in their hunting. It’s nothing exceptional this year, noted Turner, but still bothersome. Maybe the presence of wildlife detectors Dock and Ruddy looming in the background will have a slowing effect on future illegal activity.

» The new spring-catch striper season on the Susquehanna Flats is relatively slow, according to Harry Hornick, fisheries ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources. The season, which allows for one fish 18 to 26 inches per day per angler, has so far attracted little attention. That might be because it is not in the Maryland 2008 Fishing Guide. It is on the DNR Web site. There is still one more week of this through May 31.

» Free fishing — no license required — is available all year if you are fishing American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam or Puerto Rico. If fishing anywhere else, consider indoctrinating your non-fishing friends June 7, 14 and July 4 in Maryland; June 6, 7 and 8 in Virginia; June 7 and 8 in New Jersey; June 6 and 7 in Delaware; May 24 and June 1 in Pennsylvania; and June 7 and 8 in West Virginia. Fishing is free, although all other regulations must be followed. Otherwise, you’ll need a license. No exceptions. Even fabled crime fighter Eliot Ness was cited by a Pennsylvania Waterways Patrolman for fishing without a license.

» If you’re planning your Bay tournament season, consider the Coastal Conservation Association Light Tackle, Fly Fishing Tournament, which will be held from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Jetty Beachside, Kent Narrows. For information, call Ed Liccione at 410-829-5771 or Brooke McDonald at 1-888-758-6580.