Rule 391-4-6-.05 - Authorized Uses of State-owned Land, Facilities and Roads on Sapelo Island(1) Use of state-owned land, facilities and roads on Sapelo Island is a privilege and is restricted as provided in this Chapter to the following individuals or groups: (b) Temporary official visitors, such as research scientists associated with the Marine Institute, or DNR employees who are not domiciled on the Island;(c) Guests of permanent residents, but only as provided in this Chapter;(d) Conference groups associated with the Marine Institute or DNR; and(e) Members of the general public but only as set forth in subparagraph (b) of paragraph (2) of this rule.(2) DNR does not regulate personal business conducted entirely on private property; however, DNR recognizes there is an increasing need to prohibit uncontrolled roaming of the state-owned lands on the Island. (a) Activities on State-owned lands on Sapelo Island by permanent residents, the invited guests of permanent residents, and the guests for pay of permanent residents are restricted as follows: 1. Permanent residents may gather deadwood and handicraft materials on the state-owned parts of Sapelo Island so long as the activities do not conflict with DNR program goals. DNR's Island manager may designate areas in which such activities are prohibited.2. Permanent residents may fish from the docks, bridges and beaches within the Reynolds WMA and may also gather oysters and clams within approved shellfish harvesting areas unless such docks, bridges, beaches and shellfish harvesting areas are closed for such activities. DNR's Island manager may designate areas in which such activities are prohibited.3. Permanent residents may use DNR's boat hoist for work on their small boats, but only as individually authorized by DNR's Island manager.4. Permanent residents may hunt on State-owned land during legal seasons. DNR's Island manager may designate areas in which such activities are prohibited.5. The invited guests and the guests for pay of permanent residents may fish from the docks, bridges and beaches within the Reynolds WMA and may gather oysters and clams within approved shellfish harvesting areas, but only as specifically authorized by DNR's Island manager and only if accompanied by their host or a family member of their host.6. The invited guests and the guests for pay of permanent residents may also accompany their host or a family member of their host as he or she travels about the remainder of the state-owned parts of the Island; however, if unaccompanied by their host or a family member of their host, such guests are restricted to the activities permitted members of the general public.7. Activities other than the above by permanent residents, the invited guests of permanent residents, and the guests for pay of permanent residents on the state-owned portions of the Island, including any use of the Reynolds WMA, will be only as specifically authorized by DNR's Island manager.(b) Members of the general public may engage in the following activities on those portions of Sapelo Island which are state-owned: 1. Managed hunts, legal hunting, tours offered by DNR or by permanent residents domiciled on Sapelo Island entering into concession agreements with DNR for conducting tours, or Cabretta camping offered by DNR;2. Conferences hosted by the Marine Institute or DNR;3. The gathering of oysters in the Duplin River when the river is open for those purposes;4. Fishing, hunting waterfowl, or operating boats in the tidal waters surrounding Sapelo Island; and5. Using the beach below the high water mark.6. Activities other than those enumerated in subparagraphs 1. through 5. of this paragraph (b) by members of the general public, including any use of the Reynolds WMA, the SINERR, and the Natural Area, will be only as specifically authorized by DNR's Commissioner or the Regional Supervisor of the Department's Wildlife Resources Division.(3) With regard to participants in public tours, hunting, camping, and conferences, the following uses are permitted: (a) Reservations for regular DNR tours are permitted. DNR schedules special tours through its office on Sapelo Island.(b) Persons who participate in hunts at the Reynolds WMA may camp in the Moses Hammock hunting camp for the duration of the hunt and must remain within designated hunting areas while actually hunting.(c) DNR limits use of the Cabretta camping area to organized groups, scheduling its use through the DNR office on Sapelo Island. Campers may use the designated Cabretta camping area, open portions of the Reynolds WMA, and the beach. Access to other parts of Sapelo Island for members of such groups will be only as specifically authorized by DNR's Island manager.(d) Conference participants may use buildings and lands under the control of DNR and the Marine Institute as authorized by those agencies. They may also use the State-owned roads south of the Reynolds WMA and may use the beach.(e) Use of Sapelo Island other than the uses enumerated in subparagraphs (a) through (d) of this paragraph (3) by members of tour groups, hunters, campers and conference participants will be only as specifically authorized by the Marine Institute or DNR, whichever agency is responsible for managing the property in question.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-4-6-.05
O.C.G.A. Title 27, Secs. 12-2-5, 12-2-24. 12-3-9.
Original Rule entitled "Authorized Uses of State-Owned Land, etc."adopted. F. Jan. 25, 1996; eff. Feb. 14, 1996.