Georgia-South Carolina Reciprocal Agreement Topic of Upcoming Meetings

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (5/11/2012)

Two upcoming public meetings, hosted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), are scheduled to receive public input regarding the Georgia-South Carolina reciprocal fishing agreement.   Changes being considered will affect border waters, from the Chattooga River to Lake Hartwell and downstream waters such as lakes Russell and Clarks Hill, and the Savannah River. 

Georgia and South Carolina currently have a reciprocal fishing license agreement that allows anglers to fish on border waters and shorelines with a valid fishing license from either state.  However, as a result of South Carolina’s revised fishing laws, the current reciprocal agreement expires on July 1.  Both state fisheries agencies are interested in developing a new reciprocal fishing license agreement, but the conditions of that agreement will change. 

Proposed changes, such as creel limit or size restrictions, may affect several species, including trout, striped bass, hybrid bass, white bass, crappie and redbreast.  

“All anglers are invited to join us for an overview of the proposed changes and then to provide input to WRD,” says John Biagi, fisheries chief of the Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “We also encourage potential attendees to inform and invite others that might have an interest in the topic.”  

The meetings are scheduled as follows: 

• May 22 (7 – 9 p.m.)-Mistletoe State Park [1](Augusta).  For directions: www.gastateparks.org/Mistletoe [1]. The meeting will be at the Beach House at the Park (follow signs to “Beach” once you enter the Park).  The State Parks parking fee has been waived for meeting attendees.
• May 24 (7 – 9 p.m.)-North Georgia Technical College-Currahee Campus [2] (Lavonia).  For directions: www.northgatech.edu/pages/visitors_alumni/campuses/currahee.aspx [2] 

This meeting site is accessible to people with physical disabilities.  Requests for additional special needs assistance should be directed to 706-947-1507 (Lavonia Meeting) or 706-721-7409 (Mistletoe State Park meeting) no later than May 18, 2012. 

If you want more information or are unable to attend this meeting and want to provide feedback, visit www.gofishgeorgia.com/fishing/regulations [3] and select “Proposed Regulation Changes [4]” to view information about the changes, species, creel limits and more.  

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