South Carolina § 50-5-990 Size limitations for hard clams of the genus Mercenaria; permits for possession and sale of undersized clams; penalties.

South Carolina Statutes

§ 50-5-990 — Size limitations for hard clams of the genus Mercenaria; permits for possession and sale of undersized clams; penalties.

South Carolina § 50-5-990

Title 50FISH, GAME AND WATERCRAFT

Ch. 5MARINE RESOURCES ACT

This text of South Carolina § 50-5-990 (Size limitations for hard clams of the genus Mercenaria; permits for possession and sale of undersized clams; penalties.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

S.C. Code Ann. § 50-5-990 (2026).

Text

(A)It is unlawful to take or attempt to take, possess, sell, purchase, or import a hard clam of the genus Mercenaria of less than one inch in thickness as measured from the exterior surface of one shell of the intact clam to the exterior surface of the opposite shell. A person taking a clam of other than legal size must immediately return it to the bottoms from whence it came.

(B)It is lawful for persons and entities engaged in shellfish mariculture operations to possess mariculture clams of less than the minimum size specified in this section and to import, purchase, sell, or transplant undersized mariculture clams, as defined in this section, by obtaining a permit. It is also lawful for a licensed wholesale seafood dealer or retail restaurant to purchase and possess for resale undersiz

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(A) It is unlawful to take or attempt to take, possess, sell, purchase, or import a hard clam of the genus Mercenaria of less than one inch in thickness as measured from the exterior surface of one shell of the intact clam to the exterior surface of the opposite shell. A person taking a clam of other than legal size must immediately return it to the bottoms from whence it came. (B) It is lawful for persons and entities engaged in shellfish mariculture operations to possess mariculture clams of less than the minimum size specified in this section and to import, purchase, sell, or transplant undersized mariculture clams, as defined in this section, by obtaining a permit. It is also lawful for a licensed wholesale seafood dealer or retail restaurant to purchase and possess for resale undersized maricultured clams purchased from a mariculture operation permitted pursuant to this section, provided the licensed wholesale seafood dealer or retailer has proof of origin in possession for each lot of clams purchased. (C) A violation of this section by a person is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, that person must be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.