(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, it shall be unlawful to take shrimp for noncommercial purposes in the salt waters of the State of Georgia except by means of a recreational bait shrimp cast net or a recreational food shrimp cast net or by means of a beach seine of a length and mesh size authorized for use in salt waters by subsection (d) of Code Section 27-4-112.

(b) It shall be unlawful to take shrimp for noncommercial food purposes in the salt waters of the state by any cast net other than a recreational food shrimp cast net or by means of a beach seine. Violation of the provisions of this subsection shall constitute a misdemeanor.

(c) It shall be unlawful to take shrimp except at such times and places as the commissioner may establish. The commissioner is authorized to open or close any or a portion of the salt waters of this state to recreational food shrimp cast netting at any time between May 15 and the last day of February.