CHARLESTON, S.C. - A bill that would limit how many large Arkansas blue catfish can be caught in a day has hit a snag after an amendment was added prohibiting the export of live catfish out of the state.

The bill would limit both recreational and commercial fishermen to taking just one Arkansas blue catfish longer than 36 inches from Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion per day.

The goal of the proposal is to protect the large catfish for recreational fishing, said the bill's sponsor, Sen. William Mescher, R-Pinopolis.

But the bill is awaiting evaluation by a subcommittee and Mescher said he will kill it if the amendment banning people from taking catfish out of state passes.

Supporters of the bill said too many large catfish are being caught by commercial fisherman, depriving visitors to the lake the experience of landing a big one.

But opponents say setting a limit on large catfish will allow more of them to thrive, hurting the game fish populations such as bream and crappie.