South Carolina General Assembly
104th Session, 1981-1982

Bill 2605

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2605
Ratification Number:       247
Act Number                 171
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Mesh size of gill nets
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A171, R247, H2605)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-750, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE USE OF NETS TO CATCH GAME FISH IN WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, SO AS TO INCREASE THE STRETCH MESH SIZE OF GILL NETS WHICH MAY BE USED FOR NONGAME FISH, INCLUDING SHAD, FROM DECEMBER FIRST TO APRIL FIFTEENTH OF EACH YEAR AND PROVIDE THE SIZE OF GILL NETS WHICH MAY BE USED FOR TAKING HERRING FROM FEBRUARY FIFTEENTH TO APRIL FIFTEENTH BETWEEN SUNRISE WEDNESDAY AND SUNDOWN SATURDAY; TO DELETE THE PROVISIONS WHICH PROHIBIT EXTENDING NETS MORE THAN ONE-HALF THE DISTANCE ACROSS WATERS BEING FISHED; AND PROVIDE A MAXIMUM FINE PENALTY OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AND PROVIDE THAT FINE AND IMPRISONMENT PENALTIES MAY BE IMPOSED IN THE ALTERNATIVE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Mesh size of gill nets

Section 1. Section 50-13-750 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-13-750. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, gill nets of a size no smaller than four and one-half inches, stretch mesh, may be used in Williamsburg County for the catching of nongame fish, including shad, from December first to April fifteenth, inclusive. Gill nets no smaller than two and one-half inches and no larger than three inches, stretch mesh, may be used in the county for taking herring from February fifteenth to April fifteenth, inclusive, between sunrise Wednesday and sundown Saturday of each week.

No game fish or game fish tackle or equipment shall be in the possession of nay person who is working such nets.

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or be imprisoned not less than thirty days."

Time effective

Section 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.