Shellfish Grounds: Bulls Bay to Charleston
Recreational Harvesting
Information on this page applies to recreational harvest only. Commercial harvesters must obtain appropriate
permits and maps from the Marine Permit office at 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston. Call (843) 953-9311 for
more information on commercial harvesting.
Recreational harvesting is allowed on state and public shellfish grounds. State grounds are labeled "S###" and public shellfish grounds are labeled "R###". Recreational harvesting is not allowed on Culture Permits or Mariculture Permits unless the harvester has written permission from the permit holder.
Shading denotes SCDES harvest classifications based on water quality. It is not safe to consume shellfish from areas shaded red or orange. All shellfish grounds are subject to closure after heavy rainfall or pollution spills. SCDES announces such closures in your local newspaper and on the shellfish hotline 1-800-285-1618. Maps of the closed areas are also available at this SCDES site. The SCDES management areas are outlined in blue. Additional information on SCDES shellfish ground classifications may be found at https://www.scdhec.gov/food-safety/shellfish-monitoring-program-overview/shellfish-maps.
Use the table below to select detailed maps of individual shellfish grounds. If you have any questions about shellfish maps you may call SCDNR at (843) 953-9841 or (843) 953-9391. To request paper copies please call (843) 953-9854.
Select the link below to view a larger version of the map above.
Bulls Bay to Charleston area map - PDF
Specific Shellfish Ground Maps
Shellfish Ground Maps will be available here. Please make sure you are using a current season map – the season dates are at the top of every map. Grounds which do not appear in the tables below are not available for the recreational harvest season.
You'll need the free Adobe Reader to view the map files. If you don't have the reader please visit Adobe web site and download the reader. All Adobe files are 4M or greater in file size.
Bulls Bay to Charleston
Public Shellfish Grounds
| PSG | Geographic Description | Status | Date Open |
Date Closed * |
Map ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-234 | Gray Bay | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| R-252 | Hamlin Creek | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| R-274 | Hickory Bay | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| R-292 | Long Creek | Partially Closed – SCDES | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF |
State Shellfish Grounds
| SSG | Geographic Description | Status | Date Open |
Date Closed * |
Map ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-217 | Sullivan’s Island Narrows | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | S-237 | Horlbeck/Boone Hall Creek | Partially Closed – SCDES | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF |
| S-238 | Wando River | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-241 | Pine Island / Cedar Creek | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-242 | Seven Reaches | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-248 | Upper Wando River | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-251 | Swinton Creek | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-254 | Eagle Island | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-255 | Lower Hamlin | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-256 | Hamlin Sound | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-258 | Dewees Island | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-260 | Bullyard Sound | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-262 | Capers Creek | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-272 N | Sewee Bay North | Partially Closed - SCDES | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF |
| S-272 S | Sewee Bay South | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-275 | Moores Landing | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-276 | South Bulls Bay | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-279 | North Bulls Bay | Partially Closed - SCDES | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF |
| S-283 | Mark Bay | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF | |
| S-286 | Bulls Bay | 1-October | 15-May | Adobe PDF |
* Closure dates for all Shellfish Grounds are subject to change. Check your local newspaper or call SCDNR at 1-843-953-9300.
** Provided by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Office of Fisheries Management, Shellfish Management Program.