Who’s ready for some oyster roasts? Our local oyster season is right around the corner with the harvesting season opening in one week.
South Carolina DNR issued a release announcing the 2019-2020 season for recreational harvest of shellfish (clams and oysters) in coastal waters of South Carolina will open one-half hour before official sunrise on Saturday, September 28th. The recreational shellfish season will remain open through May 15, 2020, unless conditions warrant extending or shortening the season.
Bring em on. Nothing beats an oyster roast and a bonfire on a cooler Lowcountry night.
SC Dept. of Natural Resources role
The SCDNR maintains State Shellfish Grounds for commercial and recreational harvesting of clams and oysters. Twenty Public Shellfish Grounds and 13 State Shellfish Grounds are managed exclusively for recreational gathering. An additional 52 State Shellfish Grounds are managed for recreational and commercial harvest.
Recreational harvesters should obtain updated Public or State Shellfish Ground maps at the beginning of each season. Areas open to harvest change from year to year. Maps of designated harvest areas may be downloaded from the SCDNR website.
Some of the rules
Recreational harvesters must have a Saltwater Recreational Fishing License. Obtain your license from SCDNR, at many fishing supply stores, and online. The recreational limit is two U.S. bushels of oysters and one-half bushel of clams in any one day. This is limited to two calendar days per seven-day period. One U.S. bushel is equal to 8 gallons. There is a maximum possession of three personal limits per boat or vehicle. Clams must be at least 1 inch in thickness.
Commercial harvest of shellfish requires a commercial saltwater license, mandatory harvester training, and other licenses and permits depending on where the harvest will occur. Call the Marine Permitting Office at (843) 953-0453 for additional information on commercial harvesting requirements.
Protect habitat & recycle shells
All harvesters are encouraged to “cull in place.” This means leaving dead shells and smaller oysters on the shoreline where they will continue to grow and provide habitat for future generations of oysters. Oyster consumers are encouraged to recycle their shells.
There are plenty of spots around the Beaufort area to recycle your oyster shells. Lots of our local boat landings accommodate drop offs, including the landing at The Sands in Port Royal.
Check online or call (843) 953-9397 to find locations near you where shells can be dropped off for recycling. SCDNR uses saltwater recreational fishing license revenues to construct and enhance renewable oyster resources in the coastal counties by replanting recycled shells. All shells collected by the SCDNR is used to restore shellfish grounds in coastal South Carolina.
