Section 27-4-234. Agreements with adjoining states

   (a) As used in this Code section, the term "adjoining state" means any of the following states: Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

(b) The department is authorized to make and enter into agreements, from time to time, with the proper authorities of any adjoining state whereby:

   (1) A citizen of the State of Georgia who has obtained an honorary fishing license as a blind person pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of Code Section 27-2-4 may fish within such adjoining state without the necessity of purchasing a nonresident fishing license in that state; and

   (2) A citizen of the adjoining state who has an honorary fishing license as a blind person issued by that state may fish within the State of Georgia without the necessity of purchasing a nonresident fishing license in this state.

(c) An agreement entered into with an adjoining state pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section pertains only to reciprocity of fishing licenses and all other fishing laws and regulations of the State of Georgia shall apply to any nonresident fishing in Georgia waters pursuant to the authority of any such agreement.

(d) The commissioner is authorized to enter into agreements from time to time with the proper authorities of any of the adjoining states whereby a valid fishing license issued by the State of Georgia will be accepted and honored as and in lieu of a fishing license for adjoining states so agreeing on the banks and in the waters of the lakes, rivers, and streams lying between the State of Georgia and such adjoining state or partly within the boundaries of both the State of Georgia and that adjoining state. In turn, valid licenses issued by said adjoining state shall be accepted and honored as and in lieu of a Georgia fishing license on the banks and in the waters of such lakes, rivers, and streams. Notwithstanding provisions of this title to the contrary, it shall be unlawful to take game fish except channel catfish, flathead catfish, American shad, and hickory shad from waters of the lakes, rivers, and streams lying between the State of Georgia and such adjoining state or partly within the boundaries of Georgia and that adjoining state. The numbers of those game fish which may be lawfully taken from such waters are limited by the commissioner in accordance with current, sound principles of wildlife management. Those limits allow one to 50 fish of each species to be taken but no more than a total of 50 fish of all species.

Code 1981, § 27-4-234, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 370, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1552, § 13.