Can you sell crabs?

[anim8r21]

A friend suggested we visit him in Hilton Head. He also seems to think we could spend a few days crabbing to pay for the trip. "Lots of people do it" was his response, but I want to be sure this is really feasible before I drive hundreds of miles with limited funds. He says there are folks making enough selling crabs to make a living. Our plan would be to put out a dozen or so pots each day from the bank or pier, and then sell the crabs. I know we need a license for that many pots, but what is the problem with this "simple" plan??

[dfran]

I'm not familar with SC regs, but don't you think if it was that easy to make the kind of money you're suggesting, everyone in NC would be a crabber
What does your friend do for a living? Commercial Crabber?? Where are you getting the dozen or so traps??
Just some things to think about.

[dwstan]

It's illegal to fish that many commercial pots, or to sell your catch, without a commercial license ($25 resident, $300 nonresident) and pot license numbers ($25 resident for up to 50 pots, $125 nonresident).

The law is less clear (and the published regs even less so) than in some states, with regard to the equipment that a recreational crabber can use. It says you can only have two crab traps or pots, but "trap" is defined in the actual law as "an enclosed device used for taking fish, constructed to facilitate entry but prohibit or restrict exit of fish and is also called 'pot'." That doesn't seem to cover traps that only close when you pull them, so you could have a dozen or more of those. You might need pot licenses for those, you might not. I think that if you use them for "commercial purposes," they become "commercial equipment," and have to be licensed.

Of course, you should probably call DNR to see how they view the law.

http://saltwaterfishing.sc.gov/pdf/mr_act_2000.pdf
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