I wrote this for another forum but thought it may be a good topic of discussion here.
This is not to start a battle. I was intrigued by my research and thought some others might get some good information out of this. Not to mention it is time to renew your HMS permit.
I am going through a mid life crisis, LOL. I recently sold my business and have started 3 others in the last 2 years, all fishing related. One of them is a charter fishing company here in Hilton Head, SC. I grew up in NJ and have spent much time chasing tuna in the NE and still do every winter in NC. I usually make the pilgrimage up to Cape Cod every summer and charter a boat for a few days. This coming year I was thinking I may follow the fish up the coast. Starting back in my old stomping grounds in Monmouth County, NJ or just go up to the Cape for the month of June.
I have a small boat, a 25’ Contender. Perfect to trailer wherever but of course “weather dependent” fishing. That is what I like about the Cape, always seems to be a lee side to fish. Anyway…I finally got the South Carolina Charter license and have been rounding up my permits for the South Atlantic Region. We need several here depending on what you want to fish for. To be safe I got the Mackerel, Snapper/Grouper and Wahoo/Dolphin. This last one requires an Operator Card from NOAA as well to make the permit legal. As a Charter/Headboat we also have a paper logbook to fill out after every trip and send in monthly to our SCDNR. Of course, I also redid my HMS for tunas, switching from Recreational to Charter/Headboat. Every couple of years we have a good Bluefin bite down here and well for $20, why wouldn’t you. This permit, with the Charter/Headboat endorsement lets you sell fish. Yes, I know, ONLY when commercial fishing. Of course, there are different safety requirements for commercial versus recreational. All of the other SAFMC permits specifically state that charter/headboats cannot sell ANY fish under those permits. . So the only fish I could EVER potentially sell wo
The reason I ask the following question is because I have no idea…
Is a state commercial license required to sell in SC? Being from NC I’m very familiar with the SCFL there and the requirement to obtain one in order to sell fish. Is SC similar? If so, are licenses readily available from the state or is purchasing one on the open market an option? Thanks!
PS…bluefinning in NC was my favorite winter “passtime”…commercial or recreational
Although I generated this post for another site it has its place here. I think some will be upset I post this but it is the last piece of the puzzle to my above post.
South Carolina has a “Saltwater Commercial License”. You can obtain the license from the state for $25. It entitles you to sell YOUR recreational catch to a licensed wholesaler. Many of the fish you target are off limits because it does not allow the sale of ANY fish in the Snapper/Grouper complex. Since it is only for YOUR recreational catch, NOT the boats, there are very few species that make it worth having the hassle of having the license. You should never be in possession of more than YOUR recreational limit.
You can also get a Wholesale license which lets you sell direct to a restaurant or store. This license does NOT cover the fishing side of things. Theoretically you could have both licenses and sell the fish to yourself. There are reporting requirements with these licenses similar to a Charter Logbook and there are very strict requirements for the handling and processing of the fish. Things like stainless tables, proximity to clean water(sink), site inspections, etc… It is serious business, as it should be to protect the end user from unsafe food handling practices among other things.
The question I have in regards to SC commercial permit is as follows.
Federal regulations clearly state that you are considered commercial if you sell your catch. That simple!
If you have a SC Commercial permit, must you? Or you must? Have all federal safety regulated equipment on board.
HMMMMMMMmmmm?
www.JigSkinz.com
Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard. They are the only ones to pose your questions to.
Yeah it sounds much different here than in NC. We had a NCSCFL (state commercial license), dealers license, and a restaurant. There were lots of options for us.
As to your equipment question, ask the Coast Guard…local group.
quote:
Originally posted by cape_fisherman
Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard. They are the only ones to pose your questions to.
Yeah it sounds much different here than in NC. We had a NCSCFL (state commercial license), dealers license, and a restaurant. There were lots of options for us.
As to your equipment question, ask the Coast Guard…local group.
I know the answers. I posted this so others may find some.
www.JigSkinz.com
How about the small boat shrimper that has to purchase a commercial lic. to obtain a trolling permit to fill his own freezer? Does he (us) fall under the same regs.? Don’t want to stir up a hornets nest!!!
Capefisherman, I see you list T&T on your page! How often do you make it down? Love it down there, haven’t been in a few years!
Just received a letter from the U.S. dept of commerce (NOOA) about me having to obtain fed permit for having a state permit to drag for shrimp! What a pile of BS! Seems they think I am out to kill all the marine mammals in the South Atlantic. Might even have to carry an observer on board my 23’ outboard! And they want a $25.00 ck with the application. When is it going to stop!!!
got it today as well. It is totally screwed! The foreign flagged container ships are exempt from the low speed rules, and everyone but NOAA knows that container ships and freighters / bulk carriers kill more whales than anyone!
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NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
quote:
Originally posted by boatpoor
Capefisherman, I see you list T&T on your page! How often do you make it down? Love it down there, haven’t been in a few years!
Not very often I’m afraid. My wife is a Trini…actually cooking dhal and curry goat belly as we speak (for tomorrow). Rolling out buss up shut too.
need some rotie with that!