H 4028 General Bill, By Sharpe
 A Bill to amend Section 50-13-1750, as amended, Code of Laws of South
 Carolina, 1976, relating to game fish breeders, so as to revise license
 requirements, define cultured game fish, and revise penalties.

   04/12/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-24
   04/12/95  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-24

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-1750, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO GAME FISH BREEDERS, SO AS TO REVISE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS, DEFINE CULTURED GAME FISH, AND REVISE PENALTIES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 50-13-1750 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Section 1263, Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"Section 50-13-1750. (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 50-13-1610, it shall be is lawful for any a person holding a valid game fish breeder's license to sell, offer for sale, barter and transport cultured game fish for strictly stocking or and restocking purposes if such person first obtains from the department a game fish breeder's license, the cost of which shall be twenty-five dollars annually. Such A game fish breeder's license shall be is valid for the fiscal year in which issued. Applications shall be made on forms furnished An application fee of twenty-five dollars must accompany each application on a form as prescribed by the department.

(B) The department and its agents shall have the right to may inspect the premises of the business of any person licensed hereunder a licensee. The department shall have authority to may require persons licensed hereunder licensees to keep such the records as it deems considers necessary. Any cultured game fish, with the exception of the Florida largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides floroidanus, four inches or larger shall be lawful to sell, offer for sale, and transport for stocking and restocking purposes. No game fish more than four inches in overall length shall be sold, and All fish being transported by a licensee hereunder shall clearly must be marked as to their source and species as well as any other identification which the department shall require.

(C) Cultured game fish sold, ordered, or transported by a licensee shall must be used solely for stocking or restocking purposes.

(D) As used in this section, `cultured game fish' means those game fish which have been propagated by an individual holding a fish breeder's license in environmental conditions consistent with normal fish husbandry practices.

(E) Any A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall must be fined not less than one hundred dollars. In addition to any fine, any and the license issued under the provisions of this section shall must be suspended. and no new license shall be issued to such person for at least A person convicted pursuant to this section is ineligible for a game fish breeder's license for three years from the date of conviction."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.