GEORGIA'S SALTWATER FISHING REGULATIONS (2002) Coastal Resources Division OPEN DAILY MINIMUM SPECIES SEASON CREEL LIMIT SIZE (in.) INSHORE Atlantic Croaker All Year 25 8TL Black Drum All Year 15 10TL Bluefish 3/16 - 11/30 15 12FL Flounder All Year 15 12TL Red Drum~ All Year 5 14TL (Spottail Bass) (Limit may not include any over 23") Sharks* All Year 2** 48TL (Limit may not include more than one shark over 84" TL) Sheepshead All Year 15 10FL Small Shark All Year 2 30TL Composite*** Spot All Year 25 8TL Spotted Seatrout All Year 15 13TL Tarpon (GF) 3/16 - 11/30 1 68FL Tripletail All Year 5 18TL Weakfish All Year 6 13TL (Summer Trout) 3 Whiting All Year No posse5ssion limit 10TL All Year All YeOarFFSHORE Blue Marlin~ .......no harvest allowed1.......... 90 LJFL White Marlin~ .......no harvest allowed1.......... 66 LJFL Sailfish~ .......no harvest allowed1.......... 63 LJFL Amberjack~ 3/16 - 12/31 1 28 FL No sale 4/1 - 4/30 Cobia~ 3/16 - 11/30 2 33 FL Dolphin~ All Year 10 20 FL 10 per person not to exceed 60 per boat, except certified headboats which are allowed 10 per paying customer. King Mackerel All Year 3 24 FL Spanish 3/16 - 11/30 15 12 FL Mackerel~ Black Sea Bass All Year 20 10 TL Gag Grouper All Year 2 24 TL No sale 3/1 - 4/30 Red Snapper All Year 2 20 TL Sand Tiger Shark ........no harvest allowed.......... Red Porgy All Year 1 14 TL No sale 1/1 - 4/30 ~ indicates different regulations in place in federal waters * Sharks includes all species of sharks other than the * sand tiger shark (No Take Allowed) and Small Shark * Composite. ** Daily Creel Limit is 2 per person or boat whichever ** is fewer. ***Small Shark Composite consists of Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead and spiny dogfish. Harvest of Red Drum from federal waters (3-200 miles) is prohibited. All Red Drum caught in federal waters must be immediately released. LICENSE REQUIREMENTS Georgia residents and nonresidents, age 16 years and older, are required to have a current Georgia fishing license in their possession while fishing in, returning to, or transiting Georgia waters with recreational catches from federal waters beyond the state's 3-mile territorial sea. Anglers who are younger than 16 are exempt from the license requirement. Residents 65 years of age or older may fish with the Senior (65+) Lifetime License. This license can be obtained for free. DEFINITIONS Note: The letters "FL" denote fork length and "TL" denote total length. "Fishing" means catching, capturing, taking, or killing fish, mussels and all seafood and includes all lesser acts such as attempting to catch, capture, or kill by any device or method and directly assisting any person in catching or attempting to catch fish or seafood. "Daily Creel Limit" means the lawful amount of a species of finfish that a person may take in one day or possess at any one time, except at one's place of abode or at a commercial storage facility provided that the Board of Natural Resources has not prohibited sales of that species. "Minimum Size" means the size in length below which it is unlawful to possess that finfish species. "Open Season" means that period of time during which one may take from any of the waters of this state certain finfish species. This card was prepared in March 2003 to inform fishermen about Georgia's saltwater fishing regulations. This card has no legal force or effect. Since fishery rules are subject to change, fishermen should be aware of the latest regulations before fishing. For updated information, contact Coastal Resources Division at (912) 264-7218. For current federal regulations, contact the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council at (843) 571-4366. Printed 3/03