Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-3-.37

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

Section 220-3-.37 - Commercial Shark Regulation

(1)Season on Sharks for Commercial Purposes: During such period of time that the federal waters adjacent to Alabama waters are open to the commercial harvest of a shark species as defined by federal law or regulation, the Alabama waters of Mobile Bay, Bon Secour Bay, Mississippi Sound, and the Gulf of Mexico south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and west of Little Lagoon Pass( 87° 44.4' W longitude) shall be open to the harvest of such sharks for commercial purposes from 12:01 AM each Monday through 11:59 PM each Friday (no weekends), except that commercial harvesting of sharks shall be prohibited from 12:01 AM through 11:59 PM on each of the following holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. When federal waters adjacent to Alabama waters are closed to the commercial harvest of a shark species, it shall be unlawful to take, harvest, or possess, or attempt to take, harvest, or possess, for commercial purposes, such sharks from the waters of the state of Alabama.

(2)Closed Season and Zero Possession Limit on Certain Species for Commercial Purposes: No person shall take, possess, or attempt to take or possess, from the waters of the state of Alabama, for commercial purposes, any of the following species:

(a) Basking shark - Cetorhinus maximus

(b) White shark - Carcharodon carcharias

(c) Bigeye sand tiger - Odontaspis noronhai

(d) Bigeye sixgill shark - Hexanchus nakamurai

(e) Bigeye thresher shark - Alopias superciliosus

(f) Sand tiger - Odontaspis taurus

(g) Whale shark - Rhincodon typus

(h) Dusky shark - Carcharhinus obscurus

(i) Smalltooth sawfish - Pristis pectinata

(j) Largetooth sawfish - Pristis

(k) Atlantic angel shark - Squatina dumerili

(l) Bignose shark - Carcharhinus altimus

(m) Caribbean reef shark - Carcharhinus perezii

(n) Caribbean sharpnose shark - Rhizoprionodon porosus

(o) Galapagos shark - Carcharinus galapagensis

(p) Longfin mako shark - Isurus paucus

(q) Narrowtooth shark - Carcharhinus brachyurus

(r) Night shark - Carcharhinus signatus

(s) Smalltail shark - Carcharhinus porosus

(t) Sixgill shark- Hexanchus griseus

(u) Sevengill shark - Heptranchias perlo

(v) Silky Shark- Carcharhinus falciformis

(w) Sandbar shark - Carcharhinus plumbeus (unless the fisherman possess a NOAA Fisheries sandbar shark research permit).

(3)Bycatch Provision on Sharks for Commercial Purposes: Regardless of the open or closed status of federal and Alabama waters regarding the directed harvest of sharks, gill net fishermen targeting other fish shall be allowed to keep, for commercial purposes, an incidental bycatch of dressed weight of sharks (carcasses and fins) (except those species listed in (b) above) totaling no more than ten (10) percent by weight of other fish taken.

(4) Hook Requirement: Anglers fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing sharks must use non-offset non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural bait.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-3-.37

New Rule: Filed August 23, 1996; effective August 23, 1996. Amended (PE): Filed August 10, 1998; effective August 10, 1998. Amended (PE): Filed July 11, 2000; effective July 11, 2000.

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.