2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft › Chapter 5 - Marine Resources Act › Section 50-5-1507. Zones, seasons, times, catch limits, size limits, methods, and equipment for taking herring.

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.