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Senate advances bill to remove size limit and raise catch cap for blue catfish outside Santee Cooper system
Summary
Senators approved a committee amendment to S.337 that treats blue catfish as invasive outside the Santee Cooper system, allowing up to 150 fish per day and removing the two-fish-over-32-inch limit; the measure received a 41-0 second-reading vote.
The South Carolina Senate on March 11 adopted a committee amendment to S.337 that treats blue catfish as an invasive species outside the Santee Cooper system and changes daily and size limits for those waters.
Senator from Florence, explaining the committee amendment, said DNR (the Department of Natural Resources) “has, essentially told us that these catfish, blue catfish are in fact invasive species especially outside of the Santee Cooper system.” The amendment removes the prior restriction of two blue catfish over 32 inches in those waters and allows harvests of up to 150 catfish per day outside the Santee Cooper system, the senator said.
The committee amendment “engulfs the bill,” the senator said, and was adopted by voice vote. A roll call later showed S.337 received a second reading by a margin of 41 to 0.
Nut graf: The amendment rewrites catch rules for blue catfish in large parts of the state by classifying the species as invasive outside the Santee Cooper system, a change DNR recommended for those waters to reduce population pressure.
Supporters said the change aligns regulation with DNR’s assessment and aims to control an invasive population; the transcript records no recorded floor opposition. The committee amendment was adopted on the floor and the bill received a 41-0 second-reading vote, moving it forward in the Senate process.
The bill now proceeds according to Senate rules; the transcript does not record a final passage or the next committee assignment on the floor beyond second reading.
Ending: The Senate calendar shows further consideration will follow in later sessions; S.337’s committee amendment and its unanimous second-reading tally were the principal actions recorded during the March 11 session.
