Bill 3636

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3636
Ratification Number:       445
Act Number                 387
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   To establish saltwater-freshwater
                           dividing lines on the coastal rivers

(A387, R445, H3636)

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 50-17-35 SO AS TO ESTABLISH SALTWATER-FRESHWATER DIVIDING LINES ON THE COASTAL RIVERS; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 50-13-190, ARTICLES 15 AND 51 OF CHAPTER 19 OF TITLE 50 AND ACT 611 OF 1978, RELATING TO SALTWATER-FRESHWATER DIVIDING LINES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Section 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 50-17-35. The saltwater-freshwater dividing lines on the rivers listed below shall be as hereinafter defined and all waters of the rivers and their tributaries, streams and estuaries lying seaward of the dividing lines shall be considered saltwaters and all waters lying landward or upstream from all dividing lines shall be considered freshwaters for purposes of licensing and regulating commercial and recreational fishing. The Department shall erect and maintain signs adequately identifying the dividing lines.

(a) On the Savannah River the dividing lines shall be the old track bed of the Seaboard Coastline Railroad located approximately 1.75 miles upstream from the U.S. Highway 17A bridge across the Savannah River.

(b) On the Wright and Ashepoo Rivers the dividing line shall be the old Seaboard Coastline Railroad track bed.

(c) On the New River the dividing line shall be at Cook's Landing.

(d) On the Coosawhatchie, Tullifinny, Pocataligo and Combahee Rivers the dividing line shall be U.S. Highway 17.

(e) On the Edisto River the dividing line shall be the old Seaboard Coastline Railroad track bed near Matthews Cut Canal.

(f) On the Ashley River the dividing line shall be the confluence of Popper Dam Creek directly across from Magnolia Gardens.

(g) On the Copper River the dividing line shall be the confluence of Goose Creek but any provision of law pertaining to commercial crab fishing under Article 13 of this Chapter shall apply in the waters of the Black River.

(h) On the Awendaw Creek, the North and South Santee Rivers, the Sampit River, the Black River, the Pee Dee River, the Waccamaw River and the Little River the dividing line shall be U.S. Highway 17.

(i) On the Inland Waterway in Horry County the dividing line shall be the bridge across the Inland Waterway at Nixon's Cross Road where S.C. Highway 9 and U.S. Highway 17 intersect."

Repeal

Section 2. Section 50-13-190, Articles 15 and 51 of Chapter 19 of Title 50 of the 1976 Code and Act 611 of 1978 is repealed.

Time Effective

Section 3. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.