When Wallace Jenkins and the marine resources division of the SCDNR hit the road to obtain public opinion about future management of the state’s sheepshead fishery, they had a good understanding of who they would be talking to.
Due to the nature of its habitat, sheepshead represent a diverse fishery, making themselves available to offshore reef anglers, inshore boating anglers, and a growing number of pier and shore bound anglers. The extent of the latter group was not fully recognized until 2010 when the state mandated that all anglers fishing in saltwater, not just boating anglers, be required to purchase a saltwater fishing license.
“Shore-based anglers were required to buy a license for the first time in fiscal year 2010,” Jenkins said. “Those casting for shrimp and using crab traps also had to get licenses for the first time that year. Our studies show that there are now almost as many shorebound anglers as boating anglers, based on our license-sales surveys.”
Actual sales numbers indicate that 134,652 saltwater licenses were sold in 2009. After the mandate in 2010 for all anglers to buy licenses, regardless of where they fished, sales jumped to 208,204. These numbers are based on both annual and short-term license sales, which historically had a 3- to 5-percent fluctuation. The 54-percent increase in 2010 was believed to be primarily because of shore-based anglers.
“Our recommended possession and size limits had to be tailored to the entire user group,” said Jenkins, “not just the offshore anglers who fish the spawning aggregate during the winter. The average catch rate for the pier, inshore, and shore-bound anglers is between two and three fish, so the 10-fish limit is not a big change for those anglers.”
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