Adjusted slot limits, stocking program among changes to SC flounder fishing bill
The bill with designs on reducing South Carolina’s flounder limits and decreasing the harvest of the species has been tweaked in a Senate committee of the S.C. Legislature.
The full Senate Fish and Wildlife Committee has passed an amended bill presented by Sen. Stephen Goldfinch and the legislation is expected to go the floor next week.
There was one deletion and one addition to the bill originally introduced in February by Representatives in the House, including Rep. Lee Hewitt (R-Murrells Inlet) and William Bailey (R-Little River).
The original bill proposed a slot limit of 16-20 inches for flounder with one fish over 20 inches allowed and a maximum of two over 20 inches per boat per day.
However, the slot limit was eliminated from the revised bill and replaced with a 16-inch minimum size limit.
Goldfinch (R-Murrells Inlet) added a provision to the bill that would require the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to establish a flounder stocking program funded by an increase in saltwater fishing license fees.
“The slot is history,” said Goldfinch. “I think (the bill is) much improved. I think if we’re going to ask anglers to come back to the table and reduce the catch again we need the state to step to the table and add some fish to the system.”
The critical details of the revised bill include:
- A daily bag limit of 5 flounder per person, with a boat limit of 10 per day.
- A 16-Inch minimum size limit.
- An Increase in saltwater fishing license fees with the additional funds earmarked to establishing a flounder stocking program.
South Carolina’s current flounder limits are 10 per person per day, 20 per boat per day and a 15-inch minimum size limit.
Goldfinch is especially excited about the prospects of establishing a flounder stocking program and the hatchery could potentially be located along the northeast coast of the Palmetto State.
“I’m glad we’ve all come together and decided to put this stocking program into reality in South Carolina, it’s going to be a big deal for us,” said Goldfinch. “Of course, it’s still got to pass the full Senate and conference committee but I feel confident we’ll get it done.”
The majority of flounder landed in the state are caught in Horry and Georgetown counties, and Goldfinch is hopeful the hatchery of the proposed stocking program would be located in the area.
“We’re still discussing (the potential location of the hatchery),” said Goldfinch. “Shipping and handling of the fish will cost significantly more money if they were shipped from (the Waddell Mariculture Center in Beaufort County) and would add significant mortality to the fish. It would be better if it were located on the northern coast of the state.”
The proposed increase in saltwater fishing license fees would be one-third for South Carolina residents.
The resident saltwater license would increase by $5 a year including an annual license from $10 to $15 and a three-year license from $30 to $45.
A non-resident fee for a 14-day license would increase from $11 to $25, an annual non-resident license would increase from $35 to $50 and a three-year non-resident license would increase from $105 to $150.
Youth Bass Anglers
Youth anglers from Conway competed in a pair of state level tournaments earlier this month - the South Carolina BASS State Championship on Lake Wylie and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources State Championship on Lake Thurmond.
- Jacob Martin and Austin Winburn of Conway High School finished eighth overall in the S.C. BASS State Championship high school division with an aggregate weight of 11.01 pounds and Mason Hardee and Will Hardee McGuirt, also of Conway High School, were 35th with a 6.13 aggregate. Cody Wilder and Dalton Williams of Conway Middle School finished 16th with an aggregate of 3.55 pounds in the middle school division.
- Conway Middle School finished eighth and Whittemore Park Middle School finished 10t in the team standings of the S.C. DNR State Championship. The teams of Wilder and Williams along with Eli Carroll and Sawyer Causey competed for Conway Middle School while Bryson Gerald competed solo for Whittemore Park Middle School.