South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 13 - Protection Of Fish
Section 50-13-310. Game fish caught with nets or other nongame fishing devices must be returned to water.

A game fish taken by net or other nongame fishing device, except for landing nets (dip nets), must be returned immediately to the water from whence it came. A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days. Any equipment used in committing the offense must be seized and disposed of as provided by law.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 28-639; 1952 Code Section 28-639; 1942 Code Sections 1770-3, 1770-6; 1932 Code Sections 1797, 1808; Cr. C. '22 Sections 771, 778; Cr. C. '12 Sections 756, 761; 1910 (26) 576; 1911 (27) 126; 1988 Act No. 477, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 1263; 1976 Code Section 50-13-580; 2012 Act No. 114, Section 2, eff July 1, 2012; 2022 Act No. 137 (H.4907), Section 6, eff April 11, 2022.
Effect of Amendment
The 2012 amendment renumbered and rewrote the section.
2022 Act No. 137, Section 6, in the first sentence, inserted "except for landing nets (dip nets)," following "fishing device,".

Structure South Carolina Code of Laws

South Carolina Code of Laws

Title 50 - Fish, Game and Watercraft

Chapter 13 - Protection Of Fish

Section 50-13-5. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-10. Definitions.

Section 50-13-11, 50-13-12. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-20. Scope of chapter.

Section 50-13-25. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-30. Penalties for violation of chapter.

Section 50-13-40. Consent to inspection of creels.

Section 50-13-50. Unlawful use or possession of fishing devices or gear designed to take fish.

Section 50-13-60. Unlawful possession of fish; penalties.

Section 50-13-65. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-70. Closed season for the temporary protection of a species.

Section 50-13-80. Taking fish by snagging.

Section 50-13-90. Repealed by 2008 Act No. 286, Section 11, eff June 11, 2008.

Section 50-13-100 to 50-13-120. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-200. Permissible numbers of game fishing devices.

Section 50-13-210. Daily possession limits for game fish.

Section 50-13-220. Unlawful possession of crappie.

Section 50-13-221, 50-30-222. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 2, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-230. Striped bass limits.

Section 50-13-235. Repealed by 2008 Act No. 237, Section 5, eff May 21, 2008.

Section 50-13-236 to 50-13-237. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-240. Unlawful possession of largemouth bass.

Section 50-13-250. Unlawful possession of smallmouth bass.

Section 50-13-260. Season for possessing, taking, and retaining trout from specified waters in order to establish a catch and release fishery.

Section 50-13-270. Season for unlawful possession of lure or bait in certain waters.

Section 50-13-271. Trout size and limits in Lake Jocassee.

Section 50-13-272. Regulations.

Section 50-13-280 to 50-13-285. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-310. Game fish caught with nets or other nongame fishing devices must be returned to water.

Section 50-13-315. Traps; inspection.

Section 50-13-320. Traps and eel pots; crab pots; crayfish traps; minnow traps.

Section 50-13-325. Nongame gill nets; season; size and placement; sturgeon.

Section 50-13-330. Hoop nets.

Section 50-13-335. Pump nets and skimbow nets.

Section 50-13-340. Minnow seine.

Section 50-13-350 to 50-13-370. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-385 to 50-13-400. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 1, eff July 1, 2012; repealed by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 8, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-510. Unlawful taking of freshwater mussels.

Section 50-13-520. Unlawful taking of saltwater crabs.

Section 50-13-580. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 2, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-610. Application of article.

Section 50-13-615. Nongame fishing devices and methods which may be used for taking nongame fish in freshwaters.

Section 50-13-620. Floating markers for certain fishing devices; tags; penalty.

Section 50-13-625. Taking nongame fish with lawful devices.

Section 50-13-630. Fishing devices prohibited from being used, placed, set, or fished constituting hazard to boating or public safety.

Section 50-13-635. Permissible fishing devices and methods for recreational fisherman of nongame fish.

Section 50-13-640. Possession of blue catfish.

Section 50-13-645. Taking limits of eels for recreational fisherman.

Section 50-13-650. Commercial trotlines.

Section 50-13-655. Set hooks placement and removal.

Section 50-13-660. Jug fishing devices.

Section 50-13-665. Bait which may be used with trotlines, set hooks, and jugs; penalties.

Section 50-13-670. Possession of game fish while possessing or using nongame devices prohibited.

Section 50-13-675. Nongame fishing devices or gear permitted in certain bodies of freshwater.

Section 50-13-680. Inspection; reports of sales volume; seizure.

Section 50-13-685. Penalties for violation of article; suspension of license, tags, or permits.

Section 50-13-690. Seizure and sale of fish or fishing devices; confiscation and sale of items of persons charged with unlawful use or possession of gill net or hoop net; suspension of licenses.

Section 50-13-695. Unlawful use of nongame fishing devices owned and tagged by another person; penalties for stealing or tampering with nongame fishing device.

Section 50-13-730. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 4, eff July 1, 2012; Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 2, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-980 to 50-13-1020. Repealed by 2008 Act No. 286, Section 11, eff June 11, 2008.

Section 50-13-1110 to 50-13-1126. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 4, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1130, 50-13-1135. Repealed by 2010 Act No. 200, Section 15, eff May 28, 2010.

Section 50-13-1145. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 4, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1150 to 50-13-1160. Repealed by 2010 Act No. 200, Section 15, eff May 28, 2010.

Section 50-13-1165 to 50-13-1199. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 4, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1210. Permanent obstruction to migration of fish prohibited; destruction of obstruction.

Section 50-13-1220. Fishways in dams.

Section 50-13-1230. Construction of certain fishways or ladders.

Section 50-13-1240. Designation of fish sluices; obstruction of sluices constitutes public nuisance.

Section 50-13-1250. Fish sluices designated not more than once yearly.

Section 50-13-1260. Fish sluices not to be designated through certain dams.

Section 50-13-1410. Pollution of waters injuring fish and shellfish unlawful; enforcement.

Section 50-13-1415. Importation, possession, or placing water hyacinth and hydrilla in waters of State.

Section 50-13-1420. Poisoning waters, or producing electric currents or physical shocks to catch fish unlawful.

Section 50-13-1430. Casting impurities in waters prohibited.

Section 50-13-1440. Using explosives to take fish unlawful.

Section 50-13-1450. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 8, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1460. Penalty for conviction of use of explosives to take fish.

Section 50-13-1470. Failure to report use of explosives to take fish.

Section 50-13-1480. Informers not subject to criminal prosecution or civil suit.

Section 50-13-1610. Sale or traffic in certain game fish unlawful; penalties.

Section 50-13-1615. Freshwater nongame fish sale requirements.

Section 50-13-1630. Importing, possessing, or selling certain fish unlawful; special permits for research; Department to issue rules and regulations; penalties.

Section 50-13-1635. Release of aquatic species and nonindigenous fish into waters.

Section 50-13-1660 to 50-13-1760. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 5, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1910. State assent to act of Congress providing aid in fish restoration and management projects; funding.

Section 50-13-1920. Acquisition of land for fish hatcheries or nurseries, generally.

Section 50-13-1930. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 6, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1935. Fees charged for stocking fish in private water bodies and nonnavigable waters.

Section 50-13-1936. Fees for operation of Walhalla Fish Hatchery.

Section 50-13-1940. Permits to collect freshwater fish for scientific purposes.

Section 50-13-1950. Establishment of fish sanctuaries.

Section 50-13-1960. Designation and marking of fish sanctuaries in rivers and streams.

Section 50-13-1970 to 50-13-1980. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 6, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-1990. Penalties for fishing or trespassing upon fish sanctuaries; jurisdiction of magistrates.

Section 50-13-1995. Fish culture and scientific investigations by the federal government.

Section 50-13-2010. Repealed by 2012 Act No. 113, Section 4, eff July 1, 2012 and omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 6, eff July 1, 2012.

Section 50-13-2011. Repealed by 2014 Act No. 234, Section 2, eff June 2, 2014.

Section 50-13-2015. Fish sanctuary in St. Stephen Rediversion Canal.

Section 50-13-2016. Prohibition of herring fishing at St. Stephens Powerhouse.

Section 50-13-2020. Omitted by 2012 Act No. 114, Section 6, eff July 1, 2012.