FYI:
I introduced a bill last week to give us a year-round sea bass season in state waters. DNR is supportive of the bill. We needed to stay within the current federal regs to prevent some problems, but nonetheless, if this bill passes, you will be able to once again fish for sea bass year-round, (in state waters). Also, if this model works, it could be used for other species. Call and write your local legislators and senators and tell them to support the bill. When it’s assigned a number, I’ll update this post.
Please support me in my efforts to get us fishing again. As a member of the House of Representatives, and a member of the agriculture, natural resources and environmental affairs committee, I have the privilege of approving and or making nearly every law relating to hunting and fishing in SC. Fighting the Feds is my top priority, at least until they begin using their heads again.
That’s awesome. It’s great that there are still some people like you involved. Now if you could introduce a bill extending state waters to 12 miles, you would be the man for sure
Thanks for what you do
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
It would be much more effective if they checked you coming into the harbor or at the landing instead of running all over the ocean in huge center consoles. You could buy 5 regular boats for what it takes to run on big one.
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
Thanks guys. I’m acutely aware of the issues you raise. Don’t worry, if there’s something I can do to expand state’s and fishermen’s rights, I’m all over it. Some things, however, are easier said than done.
Maybe you could get Tricky Nikki to issue an “Executive Order” extending state waters and keeping DNR checking at inlets and ramps. Seems to work for the king.
Mark
Pioneer 222 Sportfish Yamaha F300
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
Maybe this can get passed in time for our spring break trip. That would be nice.
The senate will have to do their part. I can get it to and off the house floor, but the senate typically moves very slowly. Talk to your senators, ie. Chip Campsen, Paul Campbell, Larry Grooms and Ray Cleary. Those four should cover most of you. Don’t forget to tell your representatives to support it also, ie., Chip Limehouse, Peter McCoy, Mike Sotille, etc…check the state house website if you’re not sure who your rep or senator is. I can also help with this.
I’ll get on my senator butt today! See what he can do, Thank for bringing this up. Saw in the paper this week about an Alaska state senator that wants a bill to put a $100 bounty for sea otters that are eating all the crabs and clams in his area!
Stephen, Thanks for you help. I think, however, that were not digging at the root of the problem. BSB are not supposed to be within three miles (although they are now because they have apparently overrun the deeper reefs). It would be really interesting to me to know how much federal money comes into SCDNR, thereby telling us how big a gun they’re holding to our head. I think you can find that information for us.
Also, the make-up of the SAMFC has to change. Gov. Haley appointed key members who are opposed to our cause. Hopefully, that was done un-wittingly, and the position you’re in could prevent that from happening again.
Lastly, I’m going to suggest , for Black Sea Bass, A limit of ten, with a minimum length of 14 inches. No closed season A liberal catch limit, with trappers getting half. How does that sound for a target?
They’re holding a big gun. I’ll be glad to get you exact numbers. I originally proposed exactly what you’re asking, but there are substantial problems with not mirroring the federal regs. For one, the Feds retaliated when Florida decided to exceed the federal limits. They, in turn, reduced the quota accordingly, further reducing the federal season. This was a grand bargain to reduce that possibility and get fisherman back fishing. I’d love to poke my finger in the federal government’s eye, but that would just hurt our fishermen further. Especially those federally documented vessels that are at risk of losing their status if they get caught indulging in rules that don’t mirror the Feds.
It will be interesting to watch how this plays out. Hope we haven’t shoot ourselves in the foot. The head boats will be the likely loosers in this scenario since most of the decent fish are caught in federal waters. Less than 15 years ago the minimum commercial size was 8 in and people had trouble even catching them. Now that the population is nearly rebuilt and landed size has increased dramatically we want to abandon what has worked. Yes the landings during the closed season from state waters in both Fla and Georgia which count against the rec quota have shortened our recreational season so we might as well get in on the action.
I don’t live in SC but used to go to Charleston and Mt. Pleasant once a month during winter just to go sea bass fishing. Due to these ridiculous closures, I no longer make the trip from Charlotte.
I fished two weeks ago on NC and caught a 17 inch sea bass on the bridge at Morehead City, along with 34 of his smaller cousins.
BSB are everywhere, they are a nuisance now and prevent us from catching anything else.
I totally support your efforts and would love to see your NC counter parts do the same
Ummm there was a BSB caught at the Mt P pier this past weekend. I think it went 13". I def support this.
A limit of grown C bass can be caught under the mark clark bridge in the Wando if you doubt how “rebuilt” this stock has been for several years now…
The reason for this bill is to protect our coastal (nearshore and inshore) waters from damage from the C bass overpopulation. Unintended consequences at their best (sarcasm) here with all these administrative closures.
It will be interesting to watch how this plays out. Hope we haven’t shoot ourselves in the foot. The head boats will be the likely loosers in this scenario since most of the decent fish are caught in federal waters. Less than 15 years ago the minimum commercial size was 8 in and people had trouble even catching them. Now that the population is nearly rebuilt and landed size has increased dramatically we want to abandon what has worked. Yes the landings during the closed season from state waters in both Fla and Georgia which count against the rec quota have shortened our recreational season so we might as well get in on the action.
The limits were working- but not fast enough. So instead of making better regs, we’ve thrown the baby out with the bath water here by just closing the fishing for these things after 7, 4 and even less months each year.
I wonder sometimes where people are really coming from if they actually go fishing off our coast with just beginner level skills when they report back that the closures are a good thing.
The fish are better now than anyone has ever seen. Instead of congratulating people who have tried to make a difference and sacrificed, we’re still looking for new crisis opportunities and more solutions to problems that don’t exist?
We are making laws without basis at this point. If you have evidence that refutes what I see with my own eyes, that’s one thing. If you don’t, then we need to take responsibility for what we can and not hurt our environment and fisheries as much as if we sat back and left it up to the feds who are more worried about lawsuits from enviros than they are about the citizens of this state who KNOW their own waters.
