1. The
provisions of this agreement shall be applicable to the waters which lie
adjacent to or within both the State of South Carolina and the State of
Georgia, to wit:
All channels of the Savannah River, from its mouth to the
confluence of the Tugaloo (Toogaloo) and the Seneca Rivers; the Tugaloo
(Toogaloo) River from its mouth to the confluence of the Tugaloo (Toogaloo) and
the Chattooga Rivers; and the Chattooga River to the point where such river
intersects with the 35th Parallel of North latitude, which is the boundary line
between Georgia and North Carolina. This agreement is also applicable to the
impoundments of the Clark Hill Dam, the Hartwell Dam, Yonah Lake, Tugaloo
(Toogaloo) Lake, Stevens Creek, and the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam, but
not applicable to any tributary streams to said impoundments nor tributary
streams to the Savannah, Tugaloo (Toogaloo) and Chattooga Rivers.
The purpose and effect of this agreement is that valid
freshwater sport fishing licenses and permits issued by the States of Georgia
and South Carolina shall be recognized and honored by agents of both States for
the benefit, use, and enjoyment of citizens of both States, and further, that
residents of both States shall be permitted to launch boats and remove the same
as freely as if they were citizens at the point of launching or landing or
both.
2. The following
provisions, until changed by law, rules and regulations or agreement of the
parties hereto, shall govern all fishing in the waters covered by this
agreement, as set forth in Paragraph 1 above:
(a) Since the laws relating to the
requirements for licenses differ in Georgia and South Carolina, it is agreed
that all persons holding a valid license and meeting the license requirements
of the State of Georgia will be allowed to fish on the banks and in the waters
as herein described as being covered by this agreement, without the necessity
of obtaining any other license; and, all persons holding a valid license and
meeting the requirements for license of the State of South Carolina will be
allowed to fish on the banks and in the waters as herein described as being
covered by this agreement, without the necessity of obtaining any other
license.
(b) No person may carry to
either state or possess in such state more fish than the laws of that state
permit, even though the fish may have been caught in the waters of the other
state.
(c) The creel and possession
limit for the taking of fish from the waters covered by this agreement shall be
as follows:
|
Largemouth Bass .............................
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10
|
|
Spotted Bass ................................
|
10
|
|
Coosa Bass ..................................
|
10
|
|
Striped Bass ................................
|
10
|
|
Striped Bass'White Bass Hybrid ..............
|
10
|
|
White Bass ..................................
|
30
|
|
Trout .......................................
|
8
|
|
Crappie (White and/or Black) ................
|
30
|
|
Sunfish (Bream)-All Species .................
|
30
|
|
Walleye .....................................
|
8
|
|
Sauger ......................................
|
8
|
It shall be unlawful for any persons to possess more than forty
(40) of the above listed species in the aggregate; no more than ten (10) in the
aggregate of Largemouth, Spotted, and Coosa Bass; no more than ten (10) in the
aggregate of Striped Bass and Striped Bass-White Bass Hybrid; and no more than
eight (8) in the aggregate of trout.
(d) During the period from December 1 through
March 31 of the following year, the minimum size limit for all species of trout
taken from the Hartwell and Clark Hill reservoirs covered by this agreement
shall be fourteen (14) inches. There shall be no minimum size limit for trout
during the period of April 1 through November 30 of each year. A minimum size
of twelve (12) inches for largemouth bass shall apply at all times in all
Georgia waters covered by this agreement.
(e) Any person using baskets, minnow seines
and trot lines for the taking of fish from said waters, regardless of his
residence, shall comply with the laws, rules and regulations of the state in
which the waters of the herein described area may be located in using such
method of taking fish.
(f) No
person shall have a rifle in his possession nor in a boat in the waters of
South Carolina.
3. The
parties hereto agree that the provisions included shall be published and shall
otherwise meet the legal requirements of their state, and the public will be
adequately advised of this agreement before it becomes effective so that the
citizens and residents of both states may be fully informed on this
subject.
4. Except as modified or
changed herein all prevailing laws, rules and regulations of each state shall
remain in full force and effect over all waters lying within the boundaries of
the respective states.
5. It is
mutually understood and agreed that this agreement shall apply only to
freshwater sport fishing and shall not apply to freshwater commercial fishing,
to saltwater sport fishing, or to saltwater commercial fishing.
6. The parties hereto agree that this
reciprocal agreement shall become effective immediately after the proper legal
requirements have been met.
7. The
holder of a valid non-resident freshwater sport fishing license issued by
either Georgia or South Carolina shall be entitled to fish anywhere in the
waters covered by this agreement.
8. It is further understood and agreed that
either state party to this agreement may abrogate and cancel the same upon
ninety (90) days written notice to the other party of such intention to
abrogate and cancel, such notice to be delivered to the Director of the Game
and Fish Department of the respective state to be so notified.
9. It is further understood and agreed that
this agreement relates only to the enforcement of fishing laws and regulations
in the waters bordering on both the states of Georgia and South Carolina, and
that this agreement shall in no way be construed as an interpretation of the
boundary line between the States of Georgia and South Carolina; no party hereto
shall be deemed to have waived by this agreement any rights or any disputes
concerning the boundary line between the States of Georgia and South
Carolina.
