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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Governor Henry McMaster, joined by state leaders, law enforcement officials, and families of boat accident victims, held a ceremonial bill signing of the South Carolina Boating Safety and Education bill (S.96) on Thursday at Lake Murray.

If you walk the halls of Dorman High School, you will see it on the walls. On the classroom doors. On bracelets worn by students. #ForMatt.

Matt McLeskey was a sophomore at Dorman and a member of the bass fishing team. He was the student who could entice anyone with his smile and humor.

The South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance (SCBFA) announced its partnership today with the highly anticipated 25th Anniversary of the Carolina Billfish Classic, set to take place from June 21 – June 24 at the Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina.

The outdoors and serving others. Two pillars of Tucker Hipps’ life, his legacy, and the foundation that remembers him.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and four other state attorneys general are opposing a proposed federal regulation that would cripple South Carolina’s boating and fishing industry along the coast and are threatening to go to court if it is implemented.

Fabric brand, Sunbrella, is no stranger to the water. With a plant in Anderson that opened in 1980s, the company has strived to be a champion supplier for the marine industry and an advocate for the boaters and anglers they serve.

At the Championship Sunday takeoff, an ominous weather forecast told of a coming storm. By day’s end, it was clear Luke Palmer was the storm.

Sen. Thomas McElveen vividly remembers the moment as if it were yesterday. It was a moment that would arguably define his tenure in the state senate.

The night leading up to Championship Sunday at the Marathon Bassmaster Elite at Lake Murray, Drew Benton was angry. He could hardly sleep.

Drew Benton had never fished a tournament on Lake Murray before this week, but the conditions are making him feel right at home.

At mid-morning, things were far from perfect for Matt Robertson.

With three little bass in his livewell, the Kuttawa, Ky., pro was back at the ramp at Dreher Island State Park trying to work out some motor issues and calm more than a few frustrations.

On a cool spring morning in Columbia, South Carolina, Davy Hite sits on Lake Murray, waiting for a bite. As he looks to the water for fish, he sees his memories reflecting. He sees his childhood on Lake Murray up the Saluda River. He sees the first bass he ever reeled in. He sees the championship trophy he lifted high.

Coastal South Carolina State Senators and avid outdoorsmen, Stephen Goldfinch and Chip Campsen, have introduced two resolutions over the last two weeks that call on the state’s congressional delegation to secure funding for state-led harvest data collection efforts and to assist in finding a better alternative to the recently proposed vessel speed restrictions.

Dan Bailey and Will Clarke are no strangers to the water. The two professionals from Elliott Davis are merging their profession with their passion, serving as consultants to the world’s top boat and tackle brands.

Calm winds. Waves rippling against the boat. A gorgeous sunset. Just another peaceful evening in Isle of Palms.

With nearly 70 years of experience, innovation, and expertise, the Columbia-based company, Wesco Trailers, has joined the South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance to support one of the state’s top economic forces and the lifeline of the marine trailers industry, boating and fishing.

The South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance welcomes Phenom Yachts, a premium center console brand that will bring 149 new jobs to Dorchester County, a $12 million investment.

Since COVID-19 hit, the federal government has insisted that we “follow the science” to protect ourselves. Other parts of the federal bureaucracy, however, make life-altering decisions without the benefit of science.

The South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance submitted formal comments last week to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) asking the agencies to pause the proposed speed restriction due to the lack of industry input, scientific rationale, and the disregard of constitutional, administrative, and public policy concerns.

South Carolina Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott joined their colleagues from North Carolina and Florida in a joint letter to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Richard Spinrad in opposition to the proposed North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) Vessel Strike Reduction Rule.

The South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance once again will showcase South Carolina-made boats and fishing tackle at Gamecock Village when South Carolina takes on the Texas A&M Aggies October 22. SCBFA is the title sponsor of the game.

With heavy traffic on waterways this Memorial Day weekend, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) will be providing courtesy boat inspections at various public landings across the state. These efforts come with new boating laws being enforced.

If you know Sen. Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee), then you know his native language is Gaffnese, one filled with culture and common sense. The same holds true for boating and fishing, two of the state’s top industries and favorite pastimes.

For a guy who grew up on the coast of South Carolina and began casting lines and captaining boats at a young age, fishing and boating are a natural way of life for Sen. Stephen Goldfinch (R – Georgetown).

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the state hit the water in record numbers to free themselves from various confines and indulge in the state’s growing outdoor recreation industry and natural beauty. One of those South Carolinians was avid outdoorsman and state legislator Rep. Russell Ott (D-Orangeburg). “If you are looking for a positive to come out of the pandemic, it would certainly be that people were able to get on the water and realize the natural beauty our state has to offer,” said Ott.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo recently announced new appointments to the Regional Fishery Management Councils (RFMC), including South Carolina’s Gary Borland, who will serve on the South Atlantic Council. Each fishery management council seat includes nominations from each state’s governor for the Secretary’s consideration.

In the famous 1984 film Ghost Busters, the notable theme song has the catchy line “Who you gonna call?” For automotive dealers in South Carolina, the force would be the South Carolina Automobile Dealers Association, often referred to as SCADA. As a longtime car dealer in Beaufort, South Carolina, Chris Butler relied heavily on the assistance and advocacy of the industry-based trade association. However, in 2001, when he transitioned into the boating industry, Butler discovered that though it was a big industry, its voice was small.

With heavy traffic on waterways this Independence Day weekend, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) will be providing courtesy boat inspections at various public landings across the state.

SCDNR Capt. Steve Simpson shares boating safety tips amid a heavy rise in traffic on waterways around the state.

For Sen. Chip Campsen (R-Isle of Palms), boating and fishing are engraved in his family’s heritage for generations, making him an outspoken advocate for two of the state’s top industries.

As a founding member and former chairman of the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, the president of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, and a key leader in the launch of the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance, White has pushed for industry-led legislation in the SC House and across the country. “The industry in our state has come a long way, but we still have a long way to go,” said White.

The South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance (SCBFA) had quite the inaugural year as the organization traveled throughout the Palmetto State to unite and advance the industry through industry-wide awareness campaigns, advocacy, and grassroots efforts.