South Carolina § 50-5-545 - Commercial blue crab traps; escape vent requirements; peeler trap exemption.

§ 50-5-545. Commercial blue crab traps; escape vent requirements; peeler trap exemption.

(A) Except as provided in this section, a trap used for taking blue crab for commercial purposes from June 1 through March 14, or for recreational purposes year round, must have at least two unobstructed, circular escape vents (rings) which must be two and three-eighths inches or greater in inside diameter and located on vertical surfaces. At least one vent (ring) must be in the upper chamber. All vents (rings) must be within two inches of the horizontal partition or the base of the trap.

(B) A trap used for taking blue crab constructed of a single chamber must have at least one two and three-eighths inch or larger inside diameter escape vent (ring) located on a vertical surface within two inches of the base of the trap. Peeler traps are exempt year round.

(C) A trap used for taking blue crab, other than peeler traps, must be constructed of wire with a minimum mesh size of one and one-half inches, have throats or entrances located only on a vertical surface, and have a maximum dimension of twenty-four inches by twenty-four inches by twenty-four inches or a volume of eight cubic feet.

HISTORY: 2000 Act No. 245, SECTION 3; 2002 Act No. 342, SECTION 23; 2013 Act No. 7, SECTION 5, eff March 22, 2013; 2024 Act No. 212 (H.4386), SECTION 5, eff July 1, 2025.

Editor's Note

2024 Act No. 212, SECTION 12, provides as follows:

"SECTION 12. Upon approval of this act by the Governor, a moratorium on the issuance of new commercial equipment licenses to use traps for the taking of blue crab takes effect, at which time the department must not issue any new commercial equipment licenses to use traps for the taking of blue crab. This moratorium expires on June 15, 2025. Commercial equipment licenses to use traps for the taking of blue crab in effect for the 2023-2024 license year are extended and do not expire until June 30, 2025."

Effect of Amendment

The 2013 amendment, in subsection (A), substituted "a trap used for taking blue crab" for "a crab trap", and in subsection (B), substituted "A trap used for taking blue crab" for "Crab traps".

2024 Act No. 212, SECTION 5, in (A), in the first sentence, substituted "a trap used for taking blue crab for commercial purposes from June 1 through March 14, or for recreational purposes year round," for "from June 1 through March 14, a trap used for taking blue crab used for commercial purposes"; and added (C).