2011 - 2012 Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Size & Catch Limits for Saltwater Fish
- TL = Total Length
- FL = Fork Length; See How to Measure a Fish.
- AIW = Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
State Waters extend from the saltwater-freshwater dividing line to the 3-mile limit.
Federal Waters extend from the 3-mile limit to 200 miles offshore (international waters).
All species in this section must be landed with head and tail intact.
Inshore Finfish
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Shad, Herring | No closed season for recreational hook & line harvest; For all other gears, seasons as for commercial harvest | 10 shad per person per day except in Santee River and Rediversion Canal (20 per person per day) 1 U.S. bushel of herring per person per day | Licensing, permitting, and gear requirements. | |
| Black Drum | 5 per person per day | 14-inch to 27- inch TL | ||
| Bluefish | 15 per person per day | |||
| Flounders (Southern, Summer & Gulf) | 20 per person per day not to exceed 40 per boat per day except in the waters of Pawleys Inlet north to the northern terminus of Main Creek at Garden City Beach (10 per person per day not to exceed 20 per boat per day) | 14-inch TL |
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| Red Drum | Cannot be harvested by gig Dec. - Feb. | 3 per person per day (state waters) |
15-inch to 23-inch TL |
|
| Saltwater catfishes (Hardhead & gafftopsail catfishes) | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited | If caught must be released immediately. | |
| Spotted Seatrout | Cannot be harvested by gig Dec. - Feb. | 10 per person per day | 14-inch TL | May only be taken by rod & reel and gig. |
| Striped Bass, Hybrid Bass, & Combinations | Possession prohibited: Jun. 1 – Sept. 30 except in Savannah River (2 per person per day year round) | Possession prohibited: Jun. 1 – Sept. 30; 3 fish per person per day: Oct. 1 – May 31 except in Savannah River (2 per person per day year round | 26 inch TL except in Savannah River (27 inch TL) | May only be taken by rod & reel. |
| Tarpon | 1 per person per day | May only be taken by rod & reel. | ||
| Weakfish | 1 per person per day | 12-inch TL |
Offshore Finfish
These species are also federally managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) from 3-200 miles offshore. Regulations for some of these species may be changing soon. Please contact the SAFMC at 843-571-4366 or www.safmc.net to get the most up to date regulations on these species.
Many of these species are managed under an Annual Catch Limit (ACL). Fishery will close when the ACL is met or projected to be met. Current landings information can be found at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/RecreationalLandingsandCatchLimits.html.
The harvest and possession of coastal migratory pelagic species by commercial and recreational fishermen will be limited to the recreational bag limit within the Special Management Zones. See "Special Information" for information on SMZs.
See "Special Information" for information on Marine Protected Areas.
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobia | 2 per person per day | 33-inch FL | For-hire vessels must have a Coastal Migratory Pelagics permit to fish for this species in federal waters. | |
| Dolphin | 10 per person per day not to exceed 60 per boat per day. Headboats have no boat limit | For-hire vessels must have a Dolphin Wahoo permit to fish for this species in federal waters. | ||
| King Mackerel | 3 per person per day | 24-inch FL | For-hire vessels must have a Coastal Migratory Pelagics permit to fish for this species in federal waters. | |
| Spanish Mackerel | 15 per person per day | 12-inch FL | For-hire vessels must have a Coastal Migratory Pelagics permit to fish for this species in federal waters. | |
| Wahoo | 2 per person per day | For-hire vessels must have a Dolphin Wahoo permit to fish for this species in federal waters. |
Atlantic Tunas
Federal Highly Migratory Species Permit required to fish for these species except for the Other Tunas. Check current federal regulations by calling 1-888-USA-TUNA (1-888-872-8862) or checking https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/.
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albacore, Skipjack | ||||
| Bigeye Tuna | 27-inch curved FL | |||
| Bluefin Tuna | 1 per vessel per day per trip | 27-inch to 59- inch curved FL | See https://hmspermits.noaa.gov for for-hire vessel bag and size limits. | |
| Yellowfin Tuna | 3 per person per day per trip | 27-inch curved FL | ||
| Other tunas: Blackfin tuna, Bonita, and Little tunny |
Billfish
Federal Highly Migratory Species Permit required to fish for these species. All billfish to be released may not be removed from the water. All recreationally caught Atlantic billfish landed must be reported to NMFS within 24 hours of landing at the dock. Anglers can report by calling 1-800-894-5528 or by visiting https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/. Recreationally caught billfish may not be sold.
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Marlin | 99-inch FL from lower jaw | May only be taken by rod & reel. | ||
| White Marlin | 66-inch FL from lower jaw | May only be taken by rod & reel. | ||
| Sailfish | 63-inch FL from lower jaw | May only be taken by rod & reel. | ||
| Swordfish | 1 per person per day not to exceed 4 per vessel per trip | 47-inch FL from lower jaw |
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| Spearfish (longbill and roundscale) | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited | If caught fish must be released immediately. |
Snapper Grouper Complex
These species are also federally managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) from 3-200 miles offshore. Regulations for some of these species may be changing soon. Please contact the SAFMC at 843-571-4366 or www.safmc.net to get the most up to date regulations on these species.
Possession of a dehooking device is required when fishing for snapper grouper species. Non-stainless circle hooks are required when fishing with natural baits for snapper grouper species.
Sale of snapper grouper under the recreational bag limit is prohibited UNLESS vessel owner has Federal Commercial Snapper Grouper Permit & applicable SC commercial licenses. For-hire vessels must have a Snapper Grouper permit to fish for these species in federal waters.
Many of these species are managed under an Annual Catch Limit (ACL). Fishery will close when the ACL is met or projected to be met. Current landings information can be found at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/RecreationalLandingsandCatchLimits.html.
The harvest and possession of snapper grouper species by commercial and recreational fishermen will be limited to the recreational bag limit within the Special Management Zones (SMZs). See "Special Information" for information on SMZs.
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Amberjack | 1 per person per day In Apr.: 1 per vessel per trip | 28-inch FL | ||
| Hogfish | 12-inch FL | |||
| Sheepshead, Spadefish | No more than 20 per person per day in aggregate with snapper grouper complex species |
Seabass
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Sea Bass | Closed: Oct. 17, 2011. 12:01 am | 5 per person per day | 12-inch TL |
Porgies and Snappers
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Porgy | 3 per person per day | 14-inch TL | ||
| Vermillion Snapper | Closed: Nov. 1 - Mar. 31 | 5 per person per day; excluded from 10 snapper per person per day limit | 12-inch TL | |
| Red Snapper | Possession prohibited. | Possession prohibited. | ||
| Lane Snapper | 10 per person per day from this group | 8-inch TL | ||
| Black, Blackfin, Cubera, Dog, Yellowtail, Gray, Mahogany, Schoolmaster | 12-inch TL | |||
| Silk and Queen Snapper | 12-inch TL | Possession prohibited beyond a depth of 240 ft. | ||
| Mutton Snapper | 16-inch TL |
Grouper and Tilefish
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gag & Black Grouper | Closed: Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 | 3 per person per day from this group; no more than 1 Gag or Black grouper or more than 1 Golden Tilefish may be included in this total | 24-inch TL | |
| Scamp, Red, Yellowfin, & Yellowmouth Groupers | Closed: Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 | 20-inch TL | ||
| Golden Tilefish, Sand Tilefish | ||||
| Blueline Tilefish, Misty Grouper, and Yellowedge Grouper | Possession prohibited beyond a depth of 240 ft. | |||
| Coney, Grasby, Red Hind, Rock Hind, Tiger Grouper | Closed: Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 | |||
| Snowy Grouper | 1 per vessel per day; included in the 3 grouper per person per day bag limit | Possession prohibited beyond a depth of 240 ft. | ||
| Warsaw and Speckled Hind | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited | ||
| Nassau & Goliath Grouper | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited | If caught must be released by cutting the line and not removing the fish from the water. |
All Other Snapper Grouper Complex Species
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Including but not limited to: Lesser amberjack; Cottwick; Bluestrip; White; Smallmouth; French & Spanish Grunts; Scup; Almaco; Bar; Crevalle & Yellow jacks; Black margate; Margate; Whitebone; Knobbed; Jolthead; Saucereye; Grass & Lonespine porgies; Porkfish; Puddingwife; Banded rudderfish; Sailors choice; Bank seabass; Rock seabass; Gray, Queen and Ocean Triggerfish | 20 per person per day aggregate bag limit | Bluerunners and Tomtates are excluded from the bag limit. |
Sharks
Federal Highly Migratory Species Permit required in federal waters. Recreational anglers may only take sharks with rod and reel or handline. All sharks must be landed with fins, head and tail naturally attached. Check current federal regulations by visiting https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/.
| Species | Closed Season | Bag Limit | Minimum Size Limit |
Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dogfish (spiny & smooth) | ||||
| Atlantic Sharpnose | 1 per person per day | |||
| Bonnethead | 1 per person per day | |||
| Blacknose, Blacktip, Blue, Bull, Finetooth, Great Hammerhead, Scalloped Hammerhead, Smooth Hammerhead, Lemon, Shortfin Mako, Nurse, Porbeagle, Spinner, Thresher, Tiger and Oceanic Whitetip Sharks | 1 shark per vessel per day from this group | 54-inch FL | ||
| Atlantic Angel, Basking, Bignose, Dusky, Galapagos, Longfin Mako, Narrowtooth, Night, Caribbean Reef, Sandbar, Sevengill, Caribbean Sharpnose, Silky, Bigeye Sixgill, Sixgill, Smalltail, Bigeye Thresher, Bigeye Sand Tiger, Sand Tiger, Whale and White Sharks | Possession prohibited | Possession prohibited | If caught sharks from this group must be released immediately. |
The 2011-2012 Saltwater Fishing Regulations are provided in the Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. Adobe® Reader® is required to open this file and is available as a free download from the Adobe® Web site.
