YOUR TRUSTED AGRICULTURE SOURCE IN THE CAROLINAS SINCE 1974

SC Commissioner Weathers: SC Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program

Mike Davis

The South Carolina Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program

  • The program offers classroom-based and on-the-job training that provides the knowledge and skills needed to start a career in commercial fishing or mariculture (e.g., growing oysters or clams).
  • After the month-long training is complete, participants will get help finding a full-time entry-level job with a local company.
  • The program topics include safety training, seamanship, and navigation; boat and gear operation and maintenance; fisheries science, management, and engagement; and seafood business and marketing.
  • As part of the program, trainees will get multiple days at sea to gain hands-on experience with commercial fishing and mariculture.
  • For the class: 11 “captains” assist in the month-long training. Five shrimpers, one wild oysterman, one crabber, two clammers and two oyster farmers help train them in the water. Then you have two seafood wholesalers, Livingston Bulls Bay Seafood and Carolina Seafood (he is also the mayor of McClelanville) they help teach the classroom part with selling, marketing, logistics, etc.
  • The South Carolina Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program is designed in partnership with Clemson University and offered by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium in collaboration with commercial fishing operations and mariculture growers in McClellanville, South Carolina. 
  • They currently have enough grant funding and partners to continue the school as is in 2026 and are currently brainstorming on next steps to continue the school after that. The number 1 hope is a Tech school takes it over, but a lot of avenues are going to be explored!
  • 2024: First year, had 5 graduates.
  • 2025: Second year, 11 graduates, 70 applicants. All SC residents, except one.
    • From this year’s graduates, one has started with a shrimper in McClellanville just 3 days after graduation.
  • What makes the program great, is the buy-in from the local seafood industry!
  • They want to help drive a younger generation into the industry as they watch themselves and colleagues age out with nobody to take over.
  • Along with more and more seafood having to be imported even though we are a coastal state.