Zones, seasons, times, catch limits, size limits, methods, and equipment for taking herring.

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In addition to other provisions of law, the following provisions govern seasons, times, methods, equipment, size limits, and take limits in commercial fishing for herring in the waters of this State:

(a) Black River, Little Pee Dee River, Lynches River, Sampit River, and the Waccamaw River from its northern ocean outlet at Little River to Winyah Bay, and Winyah Bay:

Season: No open season.

(b) Great Pee Dee River:

(1) Season: February 15 through April 15;

(2) Times: 7:00 a.m. Wednesday to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, local time;

(3) Methods and equipment: Any lawful method and equipment;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(c) Santee River below Wilson Dam including the Rediversion Canal below St. Stephen Dam, North Santee River and Bay, South Santee River, and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(i) Santee River below the cable and buoys marking the seaward boundary of the Wilson Dam Sanctuary designated by the department seaward to Wilson Dam Boat Landing:

(1) Season: February 15 through April 30, for herring only;

(2) Times: Sunrise Monday to sunset Thursday, as locally published;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and seine net. A seine may not exceed one hundred yards in total length. The mesh of the seine must not be less than one-half inch square. All fish except those used for live bait must be containerized in one bushel units before landing;

(4) Size and take limits: Ten U.S. bushels each boat each day including lawful incidental catch; harvest must not be transferred between boats; and an additional boat must not be used to increase a person's daily take.

(ii) Rediversion Canal:

(1) Season: March 1 through April 30;

(2) Times: 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST, or 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. DST;

(3) Methods and equipment: Circular drop nets with a maximum six-foot diameter, lift nets, and cast nets allowed; other equipment prohibited; nets must be operated by hand; trawling prohibited; culling prohibited; all fish, except those used for live bait, must be containerized in units of one hundred pounds maximum weight before landing; all fishing is prohibited within one hundred feet of the fish lift exit channel at St. Stephen Powerhouse, except with hook and line from March 1 through April 15;

(4) Size and take limits: Ten U.S. bushels each boat each day including lawful incidental catch; harvest must not be transferred between boats; and an additional boat must not be used to increase a person's daily take.

(iii) Santee River seaward of Wilson Boat Landing:

Season: No open season.

(d) Charleston Harbor System including Wando River and Cooper River seaward to the U.S. Highway 17 bridges, Charleston Harbor, Ashley River, and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(i) Tailrace Canal from CSX Railroad Bridge to the Jefferies Power Plant Sanctuary line:

(1) Season: March 1 through April 30;

(2) Times: Sunrise as locally published to 10:00 p.m.;

(3) Methods and equipment: Circular drop nets with a maximum six-foot diameter, lift nets, and cast nets allowed; other equipment prohibited; nets must be operated by hand; trawling prohibited; culling prohibited; all fish, except those used for live bait, must be containerized in units of one hundred pounds maximum weight before landing;

(4) Size and take limits: Ten U.S. bushels each boat each day; harvest must not be transferred between boats and an additional boat must not be used to increase a person's daily take.

(ii) Cooper River from CSX Railroad to U.S. Highway 17 bridges:

Season: No open season.

(iii) Charleston Harbor system excluding Tailrace Canal and Cooper River seaward to U.S. Highway 17 bridges:

(1) Season: February 15 through April 15;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Any lawful method and equipment;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(e) Lake Moultrie, Lake Marion, Diversion Canal, Intake Canal of Rediversion Canal, and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net, lift net, and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: Two hundred fifty pounds each boat each day combined catch of shad and herring and other lawful incidental catch.

(f) Lake Jocassee and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(g) Lake Keowee and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(h) Lake Hartwell and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(i) Lake Richard B. Russell and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(j) Lake J. Strom Thurmond and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(k) Savannah River and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

Seaward of the Augusta Diversion Dam

Season: No open season.

(l) Lake Secession, Stevens Creek Reservoir, and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(m) Lake Greenwood, Lake Murray, Saluda River between Buzzards Roost (Lake Greenwood Dam) and S.C. Highway 121, and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(n) Catawba River impoundments, including Lake Wylie and Lake Wateree, and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

(o) Lake Monticello and all tributaries and distributaries as follows:

(1) Season: No closed season;

(2) Times: No restrictions;

(3) Methods and equipment: Cast net and hook and line;

(4) Size and take limits: No limits.

HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 342, Section 34; 2012 Act No. 112, Section 1, eff February 1, 2012.

Effect of Amendment

The 2012 amendment rewrote subsection (a); inserted a new subsection (b), providing a season for the Great Pee Dee River; redesignated former subsections (b) to (i) as subsections (c) to (j); inserted a new subsection (k), providing no season for the Savannah River; redesignated (j) to (m) as subsections (l) to (o); and made other nonsubstantive changes.


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