Current Status Bill Number:3998 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19950412 Primary Sponsor:Seithel, All Sponsors:Seithel, Whatley, Hallman and Fulmer Drafted Document Number:pfm\7302bdw.95 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee 20 HANR Subject:Sharks
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
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House 19950412 Introduced, read first time, 20 HANR
referred to Committee
View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND SECTION 50-17-515, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, WHICH ESTABLISHES REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO THE TAKING OF SHARKS, SO AS TO CLARIFY CATCH, BAG, AND POSSESSION LIMITS WHEN NO VESSEL IS UTILIZED, PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FROM PERMIT REQUIREMENTS, AND REVISE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 50-17-515 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 397 of 1994, is amended to read:
"Section 50-17-515. (A) The catch, bag, and possession limits, fishing period closures, and requirements pertaining to the taking, release, landing, sale, purchase, trade, or barter of sharks or shark parts provided by federal regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the Atlantic Ocean are the law of this State. In state waters federal catch, bag, and possession limits pertain to individual fishermen when no vessel is utilized. Commercial vessels fishing for sharks exclusively in state waters are exempt from the requirement of a federal permit.
(B) An annual permit must be obtained from the department for a boat or vessel before it takes sharks for commercial purposes in state waters. Permits issued under this section do not include income requirements but may include requirements for fishing times, periods, areas, gear, and equipment, catch limitations and reporting, and other conditions the department may determine to be necessary for management or regulatory purposes. In addition to department conditions, the use of gill nets to harvest sharks is prohibited in state waters at all times, and when taken by gill net, all sharks must be released immediately."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.