South Carolina General Assembly
106th Session, 1985-1986

Bill 1076

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               1076
Ratification Number:       536
Act Number:                476
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   To regulate activities relating to hard
                           clams of the genus
                           "mercenaria"
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A476, R536, S1076)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-17-855 SO AS TO REGULATE ACTIVITIES RELATING TO HARD CLAMS OF THE GENUS "MERCENARIA".

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

Unlawful taking of hard clams

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-17-855. It is unlawful to take, harvest, possess, sell, purchase, or import any hard clam of the genus 'Mercenaria' of less than one inch in thickness, measured as the maximum depth of the intact clam from the exterior surface of one valve of the shell to the exterior surface of the opposite valve. Clams of less than the minimum legal size limit specified herein must be returned alive immediately to the bottoms where found.

It is lawful for a clam hatchery or mariculture operation to have in possession clams of less than the minimum size limit specified in this section and to purchase, sell, or transplant sublegal sized clams for nursery or growout purposes, upon obtaining a special permit from the division."

Time effective

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