Wildlife subcommittee advances bill to raise blue catfish daily limit outside Santee system

The South Carolina House wildlife subcommittee voted 5-0 to advance Senate Bill 337 to full committee after testimony that the current 25-fish daily possession limit for blue catfish has hurt commercial fishing businesses and may have affected fish condition in some rivers.

Commercial fisherman Randy Stone of Johnsonville told the subcommittee that the 25-fish limit "killed my business," saying his Skinning Shed operation once landed thousands of pounds a day and that a return to a 150-fish daily limit would make the operation viable. "There's no way possible to survive on 25 fish," Stone said, adding he and DNR biologists conducted tagging studies and that his data show abundant catfish in the Great Pee Dee River.

Why it matters: DNR and river advocates said the species is nonnative, prolific and can harm native fisheries if left unchecked, while commercial fishermen said the low limit wiped out livelihoods. The committee’s action will let the full committee consider the bill and proposed amendments and request further data.

DNR testimony: A DNR representative, identified in the transcript as Mr. Self, said the department supports raising the limit outside the Santee system and that the 25-fish rule was originally intended for the Santee/Moultrie system to protect trophy fish tied to recreation and tourism. DNR said sampling and new commercial-fishery work showed signs that overall fish condition has declined under the 25-fish rule and that modest additional harvest could improve population condition. The agency described a tagging study that yielded an estimate of more than 55,000 blue catfish in a 15-mile reach of the Pee Dee River.

Committee concerns and next steps: Members pressed for better monitoring and clearer differentiation between recreational and commercial fishing. Representative Greg Ford moved an amendment concept to limit the initial change to commercial license holders and request further study before expanding to recreational anglers; the subcommittee indicated the amendment would be offered at full committee. DNR cautioned that some recreational anglers already buy commercial licenses to use more efficient gear, which may complicate any distinction.

Vote and procedural outcome: Representative Ford moved the bill to full committee; Representative Robert Reese seconded. The roll call recorded five ayes (Ford, Gibson, Hartz, Reese, Forrest) and the subcommittee recorded a 5-0 vote to move S.337 to full committee.

What happens next: The full committee will receive S.337 and the subcommittee indicated it expects to consider an amendment to apply the higher limit initially to commercial licensees and to request additional DNR sampling and reporting.