South Carolina Code 50-5-710. Restrictions on trawling for shrimp in General Trawling Zone; prohibition on trawling outside General Trawling Zone; penalties; seizure and disposition of contraband
(1) one-quarter nautical mile or less during the closed season;
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 50-5-710
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Department: means the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources unless otherwise stated. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Mile: means one nautical mile, being six thousand seventy-six feet. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Person: means an individual, a partnership, a firm, a corporation, an association, or other legal entity. See South Carolina Code 50-21-10
- Trawl: means a net, other than a haul seine, towed behind a boat. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Trawling: means fishing with a trawl or having part of a trawl door in the water. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
(2) more than one-quarter nautical mile during the closed season;
(3) one-quarter nautical mile or less at a time ten minutes or less before daily opening time or ten minutes or less after daily closing time during the open season;
(4) more than one-quarter nautical mile at a time more than ten minutes before daily opening or ten minutes after daily closing times during the open season;
(5) more than one-quarter nautical mile at a time ten minutes or less before daily opening time or ten minutes or less after daily closing time during the open season; or
(6) one-quarter nautical mile or less at a time more than ten minutes before daily opening time or after daily closing time during the open season.
A person who violates a provision of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand dollars and not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
Any catch aboard or under control of the fisherman or other person at the time of the violation is contraband and must be seized and disposed of as provided in this chapter.
(B) Except as otherwise provided by law, it is unlawful to trawl in the waters of this State outside the General Trawling Zone. A person who violates this subsection by trawling outside the General Trawling Zone:
(1) one hundred yards or less during the open season is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand dollars and not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days;
(2) more than one hundred yards during the open season is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand dollars and not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days;
(3) during the closed season is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than two thousand dollars and not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days; or
(4) one-half nautical mile distance or greater from the nearest point of the General Trawling Zone boundary is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days and must have his saltwater privileges suspended for two years in addition to any other suspension under this chapter.
Any catch aboard or under the control of the fisherman or other person at the time of a violation of this subsection is contraband and must be seized and disposed of as provided in this chapter.