H 3909 Resolution, By Ceips, Bowers, Chalk, Clemmons, Edge, Limehouse, Merrill, 
Rivers and Scarborough
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUABLE RENEWABLE RESOURCE SOUTH CAROLINA
 POSSESSES IN ITS SHELLFISHERIES AND TO ENCOURAGE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
 RESOURCES TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE SOUTH CAROLINA'S COMMERCIAL, RECREATIONAL,
 AND AGRICULTURAL SHELLFISHERIES TO ENSURE THE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THOSE
 RESOURCES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

   04/12/05  House  Introduced HJ-39
   04/12/05  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-39

TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUABLE RENEWABLE RESOURCE SOUTH CAROLINA POSSESSES IN ITS SHELLFISHERIES AND TO ENCOURAGE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE SOUTH CAROLINA'S COMMERCIAL, RECREATIONAL, AND AGRICULTURAL SHELLFISHERIES TO ENSURE THE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THOSE RESOURCES NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

Whereas, South Carolina's shellfish resources are the basis for valuable recreational, agricultural, and commercial fisheries; and

Whereas, South Carolina's shellfish conservation measures were last given full review in the 1980's with new legislation passed by the General Assembly in 1986; and

Whereas, all shellfish canning operations in the State have now closed, and the oyster industry has transformed to the harvest of shell stock for local oyster roasts where practically all South Carolina oysters are consumed; and

Whereas, mariculture is the saltwater form of aquaculture and South Carolina recognizes aquaculture as agriculture; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources administers 112 culture and 42 mariculture permits for the exclusive commercial use of state-owned shellfish growing areas, manages the harvest of 67 state shellfish grounds created for recreational and independent commercial shellfish harvesters without dedicated appropriations, and manages and maintains 20 public shellfish grounds created solely for recreational harvest; and

Whereas, population growth and visitation in the coastal counties continually increases demand for South Carolina's high quality but limited oysters and clams. To illustrate, in 2003 the saltwater recreational fishing license authorized over one hundred six thousand consumers to harvest oysters and clams for recreation and personal use; and

Whereas, oyster shell is the best material for oyster bed renewal and culture. Currently, there are sufficient methods for successful oyster culture, but insufficient quantities of shell available for proper shellfish husbandry of private and State beds; and

Whereas, equitable access to the State's shellfish resources by harvesters and mairculture farmers needs evaluation to determine whether the present resource allocation is fair and whether the resources are being properly managed and conserved for the future; and

Whereas, it would be significant to the health of the State's shellfisheries for the Department of Natural Resources to convene a group of citizens in each of the coastal counties currently participating in the commercial mariculture and recreational harvest of shellfish to review the current utilization of the shellfish resources, critique and evaluate the present program of resources management and allocation, and provide advice to the Department with respect to these matters. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, hereby recognize the valuable renewable resource South Carolina possesses in its shellfisheries and encourages the Department of Natural Resources to review and evaluate South Carolina's commercial, recreational, and agricultural shellfisheries to ensure the proper management of those resources now and in the future.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.