Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 4023
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Umphlett, Witherspoon, Dantzler, Frye, Jefferson, Merrill and Toole
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bbm\10049sd07.doc
Introduced in the House on May 2, 2007
Currently residing in the House Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
Summary: Striped bass (rockfish)
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5/2/2007 House Introduced and read first time HJ-14
5/2/2007 House Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources
and Environmental Affairs HJ-15
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-13-221 SO AS TO REVISE THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF STRIPED BASS (ROCKFISH) WHICH MAY BE TAKEN OR POSSESSED PER DAY IN LAKE MARION, LAKE MOULTRIE, AND THE DIVERSION CANAL DURING SPECIFIED PERIODS, TO PROVIDE FOR CATCH AND RELEASE PROVISIONS, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; BY ADDING SECTION 50-13-222 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING JULY 1, 2007, AND CONTINUING FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS UNTIL JUNE 30, 2012, THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SHALL PLACE AT LEAST SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF ALL STRIPED BASS FINGERLINGS AND FRY IT RAISES OR PROCURES EACH FISCAL YEAR IN LAKES MARION AND MOULTRIE WITH THE BALANCE PLACED IN OTHER LAKES AND RIVERS IN THE STATE; TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-220, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO DAILY CATCH LIMITS OF FIVE STRIPED BASS IN CERTAIN WATERS OF THIS STATE, SO AS TO DELETE LAKE MARION, LAKE MOULTRIE, AND DIVERSION CANAL FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-230, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO REVISE STRIPED BASS LIMITS, SO AS TO INCLUDE SECTION 50-13-221 WITHIN THIS SECTION; AND TO AMEND SECTION 50-13-235, AS AMENDED, REQUIRING STRIPED BASS TAKEN FROM CERTAIN WATERS TO BE AT LEAST TWENTY-ONE INCHES IN SIZE, SO AS TO DELETE LAKE MARION AND LAKE MOULTRIE FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 13, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-13-221. (A) From September fifteenth to June fifteenth each year, it is unlawful to take or possess more than two striped bass (rockfish) per day in Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, and the Diversion Canal including all of their tributaries and streams. The minimum size of these fish must be at least twenty-four inches and catch and release is permitted during this period.
(B) A person violating the provisions of this section, upon conviction, must be punished as provided in Section 50-13-285."
SECTION 2. Chapter 13, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-13-222. Beginning July 1, 2007, and continuing for a period of five years until June 30, 2012, the Department of Natural Resources shall place at least seventy-five percent of all striped bass fingerlings and fry it raises or procures each fiscal year in Lakes Marion and Moultrie with the balance placed in other lakes and rivers in the State. If any of the balance is not needed for these other lakes and rivers, it also shall be placed in Lakes Marion and Moultrie. No out-of-state sales or transfers of these fingerlings and fry are permitted during this five-year period."
SECTION 3. Section 50-13-220 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:
"Section 50-13-220. No more than five striped bass (rockfish) may be caught in any one day from:
(1) Broad River from the lock and dam of the Columbia Canal to its confluence with Lower Saluda River;
(2) Lower Saluda River from the Lake Murray Dam to its confluence with Broad River;
(3) Wateree River from the Lake Wateree Dam to its confluence with Congaree River;
(4) Congaree River from the confluence of Broad and Lower Saluda Rivers to its confluence with Wateree River;
(5) Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, and the Diversion Canal;
(6) the Tailrace Canal from Pinopolis Dam to Cooper River;
(7)(6) the east and west branches of Cooper River downstream to the U.S. Highway 17 bridge;
(8)(7) Wando River;
(9)(8) the Rediversion Canal;
(10)(9) Santee River from the Lake Marion Dam downstream to the Intercoastal Waterway.
This section applies to all tributaries, streams, creeks, or other watercourses connected to the waters described above."
SECTION 4. Section 50-13-230 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 181 of 1993, is further amended to read:
"Section 50-13-230. The department may increase the limits on striped bass or rockfish provided in Section 50-13-220 and Section 50-13-221 in these restricted waters and may make such these restrictions applicable to other bodies of water when such the waters are stocked with striped bass or rockfish by the department."
SECTION 5. Section 50-13-235 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 402 of 1996, is further amended to read:
"Section 50-13-235. It is unlawful to take or possess striped bass, rockfish, less than twenty-one inches in the following rivers, reservoirs, and their tributaries: Lakes Marion and Moultrie, the Congaree River, the Wateree River northward to the Lake Wateree Dam, the Lower Saluda River northward to the Lake Murray Dam, the Broad River from its confluence with the Lower Saluda River northward to the Columbia Dam, the Santee River southward to the Intercoastal Waterway, the Tailrace Canal from the Pinopolis Dam to the Cooper River, the Cooper River, including the east and west branches of the Cooper River downstream to the U.S. Highway 17 bridge, and in the Wando River."
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 1:36 P.M.