---
title: O.C.G.A. § 27-4-189. Regulatory authority to develop and cultivate shellfish industry; recommendations on legislation.
collection: code
id: 27-4-189
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 27-4-189 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-4-189
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-4-189.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-4-189/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t27-t30-(v22)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=3d92bb7f_0#page=99
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-4.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-4-188.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: GAME AND FISH / FISH / SEAFOOD / SHELLFISH
extraction_warnings:
  - dehyphenation_unverified:recom-mended
---

# O.C.G.A. § 27-4-189. Regulatory authority to develop and cultivate shellfish industry; recommendations on legislation.

(a) Except as otherwise provided by law and in accordance with current, sound principles of wildlife research and management, the board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to develop and cultivate the shellfish industry in Georgia to include, but not be limited to, size, possession, and creel limits; season criteria; siting criteria, including lease size for mariculture activities; methods for issuing leases, including number issued per year, lease values and terms, and the importation of molluscan shellfish, shellfish tissues, or shells into this state to include place or region of origin, minimum and maximum seed size, ploidy, and type. When promulgating rules and regulations, the board shall take into account public health as the primary consideration.

(b) The board shall transmit to the chairpersons of the Game, Fish, and Parks Committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee a list of recommended legislation necessary to improve Georgia’s mariculture industry.

## History

Code 1981, § 27-4-189, enacted by Ga. L. 2019, p. 619, § 1/HB 501.

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective May 6, 2019, for purposes of promulgating rules and regulations necessary to administer the provisions of this Act and became effective on March 1, 2020, for all other purposes.