Perhaps a little bit of research should have been done prior to posting this.
Last I checked, not recently mind you. You could get a land/sell permit from Beaufort Boat and Dock for $25. This let you sell your recreational limit of non federally managed species of which cobia is included.
Myself and my 4 friends could get the licenses, go kill 10 cobia and sell them to a licensed wholesaler. This person could get that license for $100 at the time, maybe still, and as long as they filed properly and met the basic guidelines: stainless tables, water within a certain distance, etc…you were good to go.
There are various permits for charter vessels and it clearly states that you cannot sell any fish caught while chartering.
I have had each and every one of these permits at some point or another.
There is more than one way to skin a cobia…
i thought about that after the fact. I plan on getting some of the clip kits. The more information the better.
And I would still be catching baby sharks if you hadn’t coached me up 
All things being equal, I would rather be on the water.
Thanks for all of the comments. I have calls into DNR to get a definitive answer to the questions raised, which I will post verbatim.
FYI , last year DNR law enforcement attempted to sell cobia to restaurants in Beaufort, Bluffton and HHI without any paperwork, permits, etc. No restaurant in Beaufort bought same. Five(5) restaurants in Bluffton and HHI did buy same with no paperwork. Cases were filed against all five . I do not know names of buyers or disposition of cases. I am sure we are dealing with a small minority of restaurants and sellers- with most anglers and restaurants following the rules. By following up with DNR on locations offering cobia, we can help weed out those that do not follow the rules( once DNR confirms what they are!).
I also understand restaurants can buy and sell farm raised cobia. However, I do not think that is common in our area. The only time I see cobia in restaurants is when large numbers of cobia show up at the Ross. (ie. No cobia on menus in January)
I have been contacted by several parties who advise they have the correct licenses and permits and understand from DNR they can sell offshore cobia. So, to be absolutely sure of what the rules are, and who can sell what, to whom, I am waiting on a written response from DNR. Thanks for your patience and interest in this issue which impacts our cobia population:)
Miss Libby 2
26’ World Cat
Russel why are you so concerned with the Cobia population offshore. These fish are highly migratory pelagic fish that lay on average of 1 million eggs every week for several months out of the year. They grow extremely fast the first few years and reach sexual maturity as early as 1 year but on average at about 2 years old. Next to Mahi they are one of the fastest growing and breeding fish in the ocean. The most recent SEDAR report done by the SAFMC in 2013 suggested that cobia numbers in the South Atlantic group were up a staggering 29% from their respective target population levels. With that being said I would like to raise the question, has anybody that has posted done any research concerning the laws governing the sale of cobia? It seems we have a Thomas Jefferson scenario in place. “It is better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” If you see cobia on the menu order it and support your local fisherman and restaurants. Don’t call DNR or uncle sam, call your friends and tell them how delicious it was and where they can find a great meal. Hats off to these restaurants that actually buy local seafood and not imported junk.
Just for the record there is no such thing as a SC land and sell license, you are either recreational(no sales allowed of any kind) or commercial. That said to sell cobia harvested from federal waters in SC (all cobia caught in state waters are illegal to sell)you would need to have a commercial license from DNR and a gear license (e.g. hook and line, etc.). You could only sell your daily limit of two legal size fish and you can only sell to a SC licensed wholesale dealer. No one other than a licensed wholesale dealer is authorized to purchase from a commercial fisherman and enter the fish into commerce. Under no condition can a fish be sold by a fisherman directly to a restaurant or other entity that is not also a licensed wholesale dealer. At present, no federal permits are required for SC licensed commercial fisherman to sell their catch of cobia through legal channels, but this is likely to change soon and will mimic the permits that must be obtained before selling wahoo, king mackerel, dolphin and snapper grouper species, some of which are limited entry.
No need to wait on the DNR response. This is pretty much 100% accurate!
Yall know that roughly 7 times out of 10, if a restaurant menu says “local” next to their seafood it’s a lie anyway.
CaptainJack
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Russel why are you so concerned with the Cobia population offshore. These fish are highly migratory pelagic fish that lay on average of 1 million eggs every week for several months out of the year.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>The highly migratory class of cobia in our waters are not the underlying concern CaptainJack. Three subsets/classes have been identified in the Port Royal Sound/Broad River area.
One class is the one you mention, highly migratory and easily sustainable.
Another is the class that resides within the Port Royal Sound near shore and inshore waters. They have been identified to migrate in and out of the PRS, but only out to the near shore reefs and wrecks, hard bottom and other structure and then back in to PRS. They live, spawn and reside in the PRS their entire lives.
The third class is the one of real concern. These fish do not migrate out of the Sound or the Broad & tributaries, but rather stay within that system their entire lives. DNR’s research shows 83% of the fish landed (that DNR has surveyed and tested) originated at the Waddell Center. They cannot rear more fingerlings for release due to the possibility of inbreeding, as is stated elsewhere in a lengthy thread. These fish cannot be “crossed” with the class that migrates out to the reefs & wreck and back in for fear of diluting/losing the class. They cannot be crossed with those highly migratory fish, again for fear of losing the unique class not only to the PRS area, but to the entire rcobia range in the Atlantic & Gulf.
Again…not trying to create more controversy, only to attempt to identify the concern here of losing a very unique fishery in our home waters.
Tight lines…
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Originally posted by worthlesspartner [br Given the large numbers of boats in the water around the county these days it's only reasonable to expect serious declines in the local cobia population. For those who disagree, I would suggest you ask the locals of HHI and Bft. what they remember about chasing these fish 20, 30 and 40 years ago. It's no where near the same.
Not to stir the pot too much or piss of anyone, but Either I’ve found better spots or got better at catching cobia. I’ve had better luck with them over the last 4-6 years than ever in my life.
I remember just as many boats if not more on the rip 20-30 years ago as there are today. And many a week end only seeing a couple caught in the fleet.
I run charters. Up until now, I have commercially fished cobia while scouting for them. It was money fishing. I think it was last year I received a note in the mail declaring it illegal to sell a cobia landed in SC. I wrote a note to the DNR on my monthly Offshore Finfish reporting ticket that I was retiring my license to commercially fish along with my wholesale dealer’s license. About a week later, they called me to basically say that I misunderstood the word “landed.” I thought “landed” meant the place to where you brought the fish back. Apparently, I was wrong and they talked me out of giving up my license. I continued to kill and sell. Up until that point, I was under the impression that if there were really a cobia population problem, they would change the law to stop their sale. Also, I was catching more than ever up until last summer. Then a couple of months ago everything changed for me.
When I saw the DNR cobia report summaries in the posts on this website, it freaked me out. The numbers they are reporting are staggering. I completely disagree with some of the logic about inshore vs. offshore populations. I have little doubt that many of the offshore fish come into the Broad River. It was my understanding that the DNR logic goes like this: 80% caught in the Broad are Wadell DNA: 0% caught at offshore wrecks are Wadell DNA: Therefore, the offshore fish do not come into the Broad River. This makes no sense to me. It’s the 20% non Wadell DNA that interests me. I would be skeptical of any data suggesting that they are unrelated to the fish being caught offshore. I believe it is the offshore killing that has had the greatest impact on this population imbalance in the river and have therefore quit selling them and will be retiring my commercial license next month. Also, I will be emulating the self constraint of Johnny Walker by only killing two cobia a day for customers.
I would like to thank Johnny Walker for his kind approach to me on this subject two summers ago. He express
From what Wildlife stated below. Is it safe to assume that the effort of the Waddell center, to increase cobia populations of the two natural subgroups, was not an effective program? If the restocking program did not work as planned and the two natural stocks are healthy, is there really that much concern about cobia.
“The third class is the one of real concern. These fish do not migrate out of the Sound or the Broad & tributaries, but rather stay within that system their entire lives. DNR’s research shows 83% of the fish landed (that DNR has surveyed and tested) originated at the Waddell Center. They cannot rear more fingerlings for release due to the possibility of inbreeding, as is stated elsewhere in a lengthy thread. These fish cannot be “crossed” with the class that migrates out to the reefs & wreck and back in for fear of diluting/losing the class. They cannot be crossed with those highly migratory fish, again for fear of losing the unique class not only to the PRS area, but to the entire rcobia range in the Atlantic & Gulf.”
There is not a class of cobia that stay in our local waters year around. That is a 100% BS. Anyone that agrees to that must not do any fishing. If you catch a cobia in our local waters in January i’ll kiss your a** and give you 30 minutes to draw a crowd.
I was thinkin’ the same thing.
Capt. Larry Teuton
912-six55-5674
lteuton at aol dot com
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
quote:
Originally posted by CaptainJackThere is not a class of cobia that stay in our local waters year around. That is a 100% BS. Anyone that agrees to that must not do any fishing. If you catch a cobia in our local waters in January i’ll kiss your a** and give you 30 minutes to draw a crowd.
Not sure if your response is directed to my post. I am posing a question and definitely not interested in the ass-kissing. I agree there is not a class of fish that can be caught inshore year round. offshore is a different story. I am referring to the comment that states 80% of the fish caught inshore from Wadell center.
Jim originally posted a group that never leaves the sound or tributaries
I’ve been fishing in Port Royal for over 50 years and have never caught a cobia inshore before the end of March, or after the end of September in the sound. Has anyone else? They go somewhere else. Unless I am completely wrong, which has been know to happen. Can we catch cobia at the bridge in January? Anybody ever done that?
Capt. Larry Teuton
912-six55-5674
lteuton at aol dot com
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
I am not being a smart $^# and do not have time to start a pissing match over what I know or how long I have been fishing. Just because you are not catching them at the bridge or anywhere else does not mean they are not here. Cobia eat crabs, no one will question that. Because they are not being caught by fisherman could they be gorging on mating and molting crabs? There are no hard numbers and there is a lot of speculation.
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Originally posted by Cracker LarryI’ve been fishing in Port Royal for over 50 years and have never caught a cobia inshore before the end of March, or after the end of September in the sound. Has anyone else? They go somewhere else. Unless I am completely wrong, which has been know to happen. Can we catch cobia at the bridge in January? Anybody ever done that?
Capt. Larry Teuton
912-six55-5674
lteuton at aol dot com“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
I can only say that for the last 5-6 years ,at least for me the catch
numbers have dropped to 0 this year from being able to limit out
in prior times. The only change I’ve made is to being older and fatter, not smarter by any means, but know that something, don’t know what, has changed!!! 
[http://www.militaryappreciationday.org
When you see “Old Glory” waving in the breeze, know that it is the dying breaths of our fallen hero’s that makes it wave.
author unknown
quote:
Just because you are not catching them at the bridge or anywhere else does not mean they are not here. Cobia eat crabs, no one will question that. Because they are not being caught by fisherman could they be gorging on mating and molting crabs? There are no hard numbers and there is a lot of speculation.
Come on, my Daddy was a commercial fisherman and so was I, as well as a charter captain and guide. I’ve never in my whole life even heard of a cobia being caught in the winter inside of Port Royal.
And most anybody who fishes for cobia knows that they eat crabs. That ain’t news. It’s one of my preferred baits. They aren’t called crab eaters for nothing. But crabs in the winter at the bridge will catch you big reds and black drum. And crabs leave the river and move offshore in the winter. Never caught a cobia or even heard of it happening in winter. Have you? I ain’t saying it couldn’t happen, but…I doubt it.
Capt. Larry Teuton
912-six55-5674
lteuton at aol dot com
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Just to clarify I am commenting on what Wildlife said, “The third class is the one of real concern. These fish do not migrate out of the Sound or the Broad & tributaries, but rather stay within that system their entire lives.”