S.C. Code Ann. § 50-5-65 – Seizure and disposition of contraband; separate offense defined

(A) Any fish or fishery product taken or possessed in violation of any provision of this chapter is contraband and may be seized along with its container and disposed of according to law.
(B) Any perishable item seized by the department must be sold and the proceeds retained until final adjudication of the case. Upon a finding of not guilty, the proceeds must be returned. Any perishable item seized, the sale of which is not lawful, may be donated by the department to a nonprofit entity, in the discretion of the department, or destroyed.
(C) Living contraband taken in this State may be returned by the department to the water.
(D) Nonperishable items may be retained by the department for use by the department or disposed of according to law. Nonperishable items which are illegal to use or which have no commercial value must be destroyed.
(E) Neither an item of contraband nor the value of an item of contraband may inure to the benefit of any employee of the department.
(F) Each fish, dozen of crabs, bushel of oysters, one-half bushel of clams, quart of shrimp, or pound of other saltwater fishery product, or fraction or part thereof taken, possessed, purchased, sold, or offered for sale in violation of this chapter may constitute a separate offense.