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The South Carolina Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program

May 4 – 29, 2026

CSAP is a one-month, paid job training program based in McClellanville, South Carolina, and apprentices can come from anywhere in South Carolina and beyond. Applications for 2026 are closed.

2026 Program Schedule

About CSAP

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.

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. 

Here’s what a 2024 graduate had to say about CSAP:

“Angela and Jocelyn and the whole team were just incredible and very supportive. I think this is something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life, and hopefully apply to my career here soon.” Bekah Bennett, Hilton Head, S.C.

More Testimonials
Several people in CSAP branded shirts walk toward a fishing boat on a dock.

Who Can Apply?

You can apply for the Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program if you meet the following criteria:

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Age 18+
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Have a drivers license and reliable form of transportation
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Can pass background check and drug test
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Are willing to commit to the full month-long program
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Most importantly, interested in making a career in commercial fishing and/or mariculture
Two people spray off a fishing boat at sea.

What Do You Get?

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A month-long training program (Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
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Housing is available on a first come first served basis
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On-the-job hands-on training at sea split between commercial fishing and mariculture
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All course materials and needed safety gear (boots, weather gear, gloves)
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CPR, First Aid, and automated external defibrillator certification; a U.S. Coast Guard Drill Conductor certification; and a certificate of completion from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium
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Upon full completion of month-long course, you will receive $1,400 ($10/hr, 35 hours per week, 4 weeks) ​and help finding an entry-level job at a local South Carolina commercial fishing or mariculture business

Is This Right for You?

Commercial fishing and mariculture are unique and rewarding careers. However, it is not for everyone. This line of work may be a good fit for you if you:

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Do not get seasick or motion sick
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Have been on the water with seas greater than 3 feet
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Have worked hard, physical jobs
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Have experience being on boats
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Are able to work outside in bad weather
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Enjoy being part of a team
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Can lift at least 50 lbs.
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Are dependable and have a reliable vehicle
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Have a driver’s license
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Do not have any injuries or physical issues that would make this job hard or dangerous
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Do not mind if your schedule changes or you have to work odd or long hours
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Are okay with being away from home/land for extended periods of time
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Do not mind getting dirty and smelling of fish and rancid smells
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Are financially responsible and able to make sure your taxes get filed
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Are comfortable getting your own health insurance coverage

Get to Know our Instructors!

Hear from the commercial fishermen, watermen, and seafood industry experts who drive this program and learn more about what it takes to have a successful career in the S.C. commercial seafood industry.

Click to Hear from Our Instructors

In the News

Learn about the South Carolina Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program in these videos featuring the 2024 CSAP cohort, instructors, and commercial watermen.

See All CSAP News Coverage
Press Kit for the Media

A Day in the Life with our Apprentices

Join the 2025 cohort of commercial seafood apprentices as they farm clams with Pete Kornack, owner of Cape Island Clam Farm and CSAP instructor.

2024 Program Slideshow

The 2024 CSAP participants, three men and three woman, pose on land in front of a fishing dock with boats.
A stack of fishing nets.
Csap 2
A man demonstrates an oyster sorter, putting oysters into a basket.
A basket of harvested oysters.
Oysters coming out of an oyster sorter.
A man stands with a basket at the end of an oyster sorter, a long tube-like cage where oysters of different sizes fall out.
Two woman show a sea creature.
A sea creature held in a gloved hand.
An instructor in a life jacket demonstrates oyster harvesting to two onlookers.
Participants in red safety suits learn water rescue.
Participants in red safety suits learn water rescue, holding the side of an inflatable life raft.
A knot tying demonstration close up, showing the knot being tied.
Participants watch a demonstration onboard the fishing boat.
Two participants up close in red safety suits.
Two instructors stand on a U.S. Coast Guard boat, which is parked on land.
Participants try fire safety equipment, putting out a fire.
A crab held in a hand.
Two instructors lean on the side of a fishing boat, standing on the dock.
A closeup of harvested clams.
Two men in ball caps pour a container of harvested clams.
An open clam held in a hand.
The participants chat on the deck of a fishing boat with a large net above them.
The three male participants of the program wearing their life jackets and posting in front of the salt marsh.
The participants working in their life jackets and oyster harvesting gear on the dock.
Program instructors in CSAP gear demonstrate how to repair a boat engine.
Program participants talk with an instructor in front of a boat.
An instructor holds an oyster shell, demonstrating how to open it.
A participant eats a raw oyster, just harvested.
Participants talk to an instructor in a classroom.
The program specialist talks to the participants around a conference table.
Community members gathered for the graduation in a shaded pavilion.
A group of people gathered in chairs for the graduation.
S.C. Sea Grant Consortium executive director Susan Lovelace.
The program instructors pose in their life jackets, holding a certificate.
A graduate receives his certificate.
A graduate receives her certificate.

​Frequently Asked Questions

What is the schedule like for the program?
The training takes place during the month of May. Training takes place Monday through Friday from about 8:30 am – 4 pm. Participants get a daily lunch break with lunch provided by the program.
What topics will be covered in the training?
Topics that are covered in the program include safety at sea, CPR and first aid, seamanship and navigation, net mending, knot tying, species identification, diesel engine mechanics, and gear types and design. Apprentices also gain introductory knowledge about fisheries science, fisheries management and regulations, how to engage with resource managers, and fishing business and marketing. These lessons will be a combination of both classroom-based learning and hands-on learning.
What happens after the training?
After full completion of the program, we do our best to match participants with a local commercial fishing company or grower based on their preferred type of fishing, personality, and schedule.
Where does the training take place?
The training takes place in McClellanville, South Carolina.
How much does this training cost?
This apprenticeship program is free to participants and is fully funded through federal grant assistance. Through the program, all participants are provided with boots, gloves, weather gear, knives, and all training materials. Participants also receive a stipend of $1,000 contingent upon full completion of the program. Full completion is defined as completing all required classroom and at-sea learning, and receiving approval from the Program Coordinator and fisher or grower mentor(s).
Is housing provided during the training?
Yes! You will be offered free housing at the the Baruch Institute for Marine & Coastal Sciences Dormitory, approximately 30 miles from the training program location. Thus, reliable transportation is necessary for program attendance.
Does the training include time at sea on a fishing vessel?
Yes, during the training participants will experience at least 2 offshore at-sea training days and at least 4 inshore at-sea training days.
How much does a fisher or a mariculturist make in a year on average?
A fisher’s income is dependent upon a number of factors including what type of fishing you are doing, the individual boat you are on, how much fish you catch, how often you fish, and how hard you work. Crew members are compensated based on a share or percentage of the proceeds of the harvest sale value after fuel, groceries, and gear expenses. Depending on your fishery, work may be seasonal as well. However, many crewmembers work on multiple fisheries throughout the year or hold other seasonal positions.

A mariculturist’s income is dependent on the position held at an operation (whether entry-level, manager, or owner), the scale of an operation or production level, the species being produced, and how much of the year species may be harvested. Employees are typically paid based on an hourly wage and can expect to work year-round. As entry-level workers gain experience and build skills, there are frequent opportunities to be promoted into manager positions or to engage in cooperative resource sharing.

Will I get a degree or certificate?
Through the apprenticeship training, participants receive a CPR, First Aid and automated external defibrillator certification, a U.S. Coast Guard Drill Conductor certification, a commercial fishing license, and a certificate of completion from S.C. Sea Grant Consortium for those who complete the training.

CSAP Funding

This program is being funded by the NOAA National Sea Grant Office and the USDA Rural Business Development Grant Program.

National Sea Grant
Usda Rural Development

Sponsors

CSAP is sponsored by the S.C. Farm Bureau, the S.C. Dept of Agriculture, and the S.C. Agricultural Society.

Contact for More Information

Matt Gorstein, Director for Development and Extension
matthew.gorstein@scseagrant.org