Alabama Administrative Code
Title 220 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Chapter 220-3 - MARINE RESOURCES DIVISION
Section 220-3-.30 - Saltwater Fish Creel, Bag, Possession And Size Limits

Universal Citation: AL Admin Code R 220-3-.30

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 02, November 27, 2024

(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.

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.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Alabama may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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