Bill 428

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               428
Ratification Number:       292
Act Number                 192
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Relating to freshwater game fish

(A192, R292, S428)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 50-13-210 AND 50-13-220, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FRESHWATER GAME FISH, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE NUMBER OF STRIPED BASS (ROCKFISH) AND BLACK BASS IN THE DAILY FORTY GAME FISH CREEL LIMIT MAY BE CHANGED BY REGULATION OF THE WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND TO SET A DAILY CREEL LIMIT OF FIVE STRIPED BASS (ROCKFISH) IN CERTAIN RIVERS, LAKES, AND CANALS; TO AMEND SECTION 50-17-510, RELATING TO CATCH AND POSSESSION LIMITS OF SPECIES OF SALTWATER FISH, SO AS TO ADOPT FEDERAL REGULATIONS RELATING TO CATCH AND POSSESSION LIMITS AND REGULATIONS APPLYING TO THE FISHERY CONSERVATION ZONE ADJACENT TO STATE WATERS; AND TO ADD SECTION 50-13-236 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE WILDLIFE AND MARINE RESOURCES DEPARTMENT MAY ESTABLISH DAILY CREEL LIMITS AND SIZE LIMITS ON LAKE MURRAY FOR STRIPED BASS (ROCKFISH) AND BLACK BASS AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES.

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

Daily creel limit for striped bass on certain waters

SECTION 1. Section 50-13-220 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-13-220. No more than five striped bass (rockfish) may be caught in any one day from:

(1) Broad River from the lock and dam of the Columbia Canal to its confluence with Lower Saluda River;

(2) Lower Saluda River from the Lake Murray Dam to its confluence with Broad River;

(3) Wateree River from the Lake Wateree Dam to its confluence with Congaree River;

(4) Congaree River from the confluence of Broad and Lower Saluda Rivers to its confluence with Wateree River;

(5) Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, and the Diversion Canal;

(6) the Tailrace Canal from Pinopolis Dam to Cooper River;

(7) the east and west branches of Cooper River downstream to the U.S. Highway 17 bridge;

(8) Wando River;

(9) the Rediversion Canal;

(10) Santee River from the Lake Marion Dam downstream to the Intercoastal Waterway.

This section applies to all tributaries, streams, creeks, or other watercourses connected to the waters described above."

Creel and size limits on striped bass and black bass - Lake Murray

SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-13-236. The department may establish the daily creel limits and size limits on Lake Murray for striped bass (Rockfish) and Black Bass by regulations promulgated and adopted in accordance with Article I of Chapter 23 of Title 1. No creel or size limits may be set by emergency regulations. A person taking striped bass or black bass exceeding the limits set by the department is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be punished as provided in Section 50-13-285."

Forty game fish daily creel limit

SECTION 3. Section 50-13-210 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 50-13-210. It is unlawful for a person in any one day to catch more than forty game fish; however, of the total creel limit:

(1) not more than ten of the total may be striped bass (Rockfish) or hybrid bass (striped bass-white bass) or a combination of them; unless regulations promulgated by the department and adopted by the General Assembly by authority of Section 50-13-236 reflect otherwise;

(2) not more than ten of the total may be black bass (large mouth, small mouth, coosae) or a combination of them unless regulations promulgated by the department and adopted by the General Assembly by authority of Section 50-13-236 reflect otherwise;

(3) not more than ten of the total may be trout;

(4) not more than eight of the total may be walleye or sauger or a combination of them;

(5) not more than thirty of the total may be any game fish not specified."

Federal regulations adopted

SECTION 4. The next to the last paragraph of Section 50-17-510 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"The regulations promulgated by the federal government regarding catch or possession limits on cobia, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, and billfish under the Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Public Law 94-265) are declared to be the law of this State and apply in all state waters. The department may adopt by regulation all other fishery regulations promulgated under Public Law 94-265 which apply to the Fishery Conservation Zone adjacent to this state's waters. When adopted, these regulations apply in state waters and a violation of these regulations is punishable as provided in this section."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.