(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Code section and in Code Section 27-4-75, it shall be unlawful for any person to sell or purchase any game fish.

(b) Game fish shipped into this state and accompanied by a bona fide bill of sale or lading giving the date of the transaction, the details of the source of the fish, and the species, number, and pounds thereof may be lawfully transported, sold, and resold, provided each person in possession thereof has the bill of sale or lading and has otherwise complied with this Code section and any regulations promulgated pursuant to this Code section.

(c) It shall be lawful for any person to sell or purchase game fish from a pond when the owner of the pond has obtained a valid permit from the department and the permit is displayed in a prominent place at the pond and the person shall have complied with all the requirements of this Code section and any regulations promulgated pursuant to this Code section. The permit may be issued to the owner only once annually and shall limit the time for taking fish from the pond to 15 days unless an extension is granted by the department. However, no person shall sell, purchase, or possess any game fish taken from such a pond unless the fish are packaged and labeled with the pond permit number and the number and pounds of each species of fish contained therein. The fish shall remain so packaged until processed for consumption or released into another body of water.

(d) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this title to the contrary, American shad, hickory shad, flathead catfish, and channel catfish harvested from Georgia waters other than private ponds in the course of commercial fishing as that term is defined in Code Section 27-1-2 shall not be subject to the prohibitions set forth in this Code section.