South Carolina Code 50-5-1710. Size limits
(B) Except as provided in Article 21, it is unlawful to take, possess, land, sell, purchase, or attempt to sell or purchase:
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 50-5-1710
- Fish: means finfish, shellfish including mollusks, crustaceans, horseshoe crabs, whelks (conchs), turtles, and terrapin or products thereof. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Mariculture: means controlled cultivation in confinement of marine and estuarine organisms in salt waters. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Take: means to harass intentionally, hunt, capture, gather, harvest, remove, catch, wound, or kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, gather, harvest, remove, catch, wound, or kill. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
- Total length: means the length of a fish laid flat and measured from the closed mouth (snout) to the tip of the tail fin when pinched together. See South Carolina Code 50-5-15
(1) spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) (winter trout) of less than fourteen inches in total length;
(2) flounder (Paralichthys) of less than sixteen inches total length;
(3) red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) (channel bass or spottail bass) of less than fifteen inches in total length, or more than twenty-three inches in total length;
(4) black drum (Pogonias cromis) of less than fourteen inches or more than twenty-seven inches in total length;
(5) weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) of less than twelve inches in total length;
(6) sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) of less than fourteen inches in total length;
(7) spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) of less than fourteen inches in total length; or
(8) tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis) of less than eighteen inches in total length.
(C) The finfish species named in this section must be brought to the dock or landed with head and tail fin intact except for product produced by mariculture operations permitted under this chapter, provided that returning fish of unlawful size immediately to the water does not constitute a violation. A commercial retailer or restaurant may remove the head at the request of the ultimate consumer after completion of the transaction but before transfer of the purchase or serving of the dish.