Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-3-.30

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 220-3-.30 - Saltwater Fish Creel, Bag, Possession And Size Limits

(1) Individuals fishing in the waters of the State of Alabama are limited to the following daily bag limits and possession limits for recreational purposes:

Spotted seatrout	6
Red drum	3 No person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the State of Alabama shall possess a red drum in federal waters
Red snapper	2
Gray snapper	10
Vermillion Snapper	10
Flounder	5 (Commercial limit is 40 per person and 40 per vessel)
Sheepshead	10
Spanish mackerel	15
King mackerel	3
Greater amberjack	1
Striped bass when caught in areas under Marine Resources Division jurisdiction as provided in Rule 220-2-.42	2
Grouper	4 fish in aggregate (No more than 2 red grouper and no more than 2 gag grouper included in aggregate)
Cobia	2 (Commercial limit is 2)
Florida pompano	3 (Commercial limit is 3)
Gray triggerfish	1 (Commercial limit is 16 per vessel)
Tripletail	3 (Commercial limit is 3)
Atlantic sharpnose shark	1
Bonnethead	1
All other shark species	1

Recreational and commercial harvest of the following species is prohibited: Atlantic angel shark, Atlantic manta, Basking shark, Bigeye sand tiger shark, Bigeye sixgill shark, Bigeye thresher shark, Bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, Dusky shark, Galapogos shark, Largetooth sawfish, Longfin mako shark, Narrowtooth shark, Night shark, Sand tiger shark, Smalltooth sawfish, Smalltail shark, Sevengill shark, Sixgill shark, Spotted eagle ray, Whale shark, White shark, Nassau grouper, and Goliath grouper (Jewfish).

Recreational and commercial harvest of the following sharks is prohibited, with the listed exceptions: Sandbar (unless the fisherman possesses a NOAA Fisheries sandbar shark research permit) and Silky (unless the fisherman possess a Federal Atlantic commercial shark vessel permit).

There is a 20-fish aggregate bag limit for reef fish species (as defined in 50 CFR 622 Table 3 of Appendix A) for which there is no other bag limit.

(2) It is unlawful to have in possession for commercial or recreational purposes fish taken from Alabama waters smaller than those stated below, provided that in the recreational possession limit of three (3) Red drum, one (1) Red drum may exceed the maximum size and in the possession of six (6) spotted seatrout, one (1) may exceed the maximum size. In addition, no lesser amberjack or banded rudderfish may exceed the maximum length.

Spotted seatrout	15 inches total length but not over 22 inches total
Red drum	16 inches total length but not over 26 inches total
Red snapper	16 inches total length (recreational)
	13 inches total length (commercial)
Gray snapper	12 inches total length
Vermilion snapper	10 inches total length
Lane snapper	8 inches total length
Flounder	14 inches total length
Sheepshead	12 inches fork length
King mackerel	24 inches fork length
Greater amberjack	34 inches fork length (recreational)
	36 inches fork length (commercial)
Lesser amberjack	14 inches to 22 inches fork length slot limit
Banded rudderfish	14 inches to 22 inches fork length slot limit
Striped bass	16 inches total length When caught in areas under Marine Resources Division jurisdiction as provided in Rule 220-2-.42
Gag grouper	24 inches total length (recreational)
	24 inches total length (commercial)
Black Grouper	24 inches total length
Red Grouper	20 inches total length (recreational
	18 inches total length (commercial)
Yellowfin Grouper	20 inches total length
Scamp	16 inches total length
Cobia	33 inches fork length
Florida pompano	12 inches total length
Gray triggerfish	15 inches fork length (recreational)
	14 inches fork length (commercial)
Tripletail	18 inches total length
Tarpon	60 inches total length (requires permit)
Atlantic sharpnose and Bonnethead shark	no minimum size
Great hammerhead shark	78 inches fork length
Smooth hammerhead shark	78 inches fork length
Scalloped hammerhead shark	78 inches fork length
All other shark species	54 inches fork length (recreational)
	30 inches dressed length -head and tail removed Commercial - no minimum size
Yellowfin tuna	27 inches curved fork length
Bigeye tuna	27 inches curved fork length

(3) It shall be unlawful to use any snag line, trot line, long line or other hook and line device containing more than five (5) hooks in any waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42; provided, however, from 12:01 a.m., January 1 to 12:00 midnight April 30 of each year, trotlines may be used to take legal species other than saltwater gamefish in those waters in the Marine Resources Division jurisdiction east of the Mobile Ship Channel and north of a line running from Mobile Ship Channel Marker 78 eastward to Blakely River Channel Marker 2, and then due east to the shoreline. For the purpose of this provision, "trotline" means any setline which is less than 300 feet in length with no more than 50 hooks tied at various intervals along its length. A float, no smaller than 6 inches in diameter, marked with the license number of the owner shall be attached to each end of the trotline (the license number shall be at least 1 inch in height and colored to be a definite contrast with the color of the float).

(4) It shall be unlawful to possess in Alabama any species of saltwater fish or seafood product taken in Federal waters or the waters of another state unlawfully in violation of any applicable Federal or other state creel, possession, or size limit.

(5) Any vessel or individual required to possess a federal permit to harvest or retain marine aquatic species must possess such permit to possess or land such marine aquatic species in Alabama.

(6) All finfish shall be maintained with head and fins intact through landing. Sharks, swordfish and tuna species may be landed in the form permitted by the Federal Fisheries Regulations.

(7) Any finfish possessed in Alabama and harvested in federal or waters of another state that does not have a size, bag or creel limit must abide by Alabama size, bag and creel limits for that species.

(8) Hook requirements for certain saltwater species: Anglers fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing gulf reef fish species (as defined in Rule 220-3-.46 ) must use non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural bait. Anglers fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing sharks must use non-offset non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural bait

(9) Possessing, taking, or attempting to take flounder harvested in the waters of Alabama for commercial or recreational purposes from November 1 through November 30 of each year is prohibited.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-3-.30

New Rule: Filed December 12, 1995; effective January 16, 1996. Amended: Filed August 23, 1996; effective August 23, 1996. Amended: Filed February 24, 1997; effective February 24, 1997. Amended (PE): Filed March 10, 1998; effective March 10, 1998. Amended (PE): Filed July 22, 1998; effective July 22, 1998. Amended (PE): Filed June 4, 1999; effective June 4, 1999. Amended (PE): Filed March 21, 2000; effective March 21, 2000. Amended (PE): Filed May 31, 2000; effective May 31, 2000. Amended (PE): Filed December 20, 2000; effective January 1, 2001. Amended: Filed July 16, 2002; effective August 20, 2002. Amended (PE): Filed December 16, 2002; effective December 16, 2002. Amended: Filed July 18, 2003; effective August 22, 2003. Amended (PE): January 15, 2004; effective January 15, 2004. Amended (PE): January 26, 2006; effective January 26, 2006. Amended (PE): April 20, 2007; effective May 2, 2007. Amended: Filed June 13, 2007; effective July 18, 2007. Amended (PE): Filed May 29, 2008; effective May 29, 2008. Amended (PE): Filed September 23, 2008; effective September 23, 2008. Amended (PE): Filed May 13, 2009; effective May 13, 2009. Amended: Filed July 23, 2009; effective August 27, 2009. Amended: Filed May 14, 2010; effective June 18, 2010. Amended (PE): Filed April 17, 2012; effective April 17, 2012.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVII, Issue No. 09, June 28, 2019, eff. 8/1/2019.

Author: Christopher M. Blankenship

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 9-2-4, 9-2-7, 9-2-8, 9-2-12.

Penalty: As provided by law.