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: Atlantic Angel Shark,
Bigeye Thresher Shark, Dusky Shark, Longfin
Mako Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Basking
Shark, Whale Shark, White Shark, Smalltail
Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Six
Gill Shark, Bignose Shark, Caribbean Reef
Shark,
Caribbean
Sharpnose
Shark,
Galapogos Shark, Narrow Tooth Shark,
Night Shark, Seven Gill Shark, Six Gill
Shark,
Smalltooth
Sawfish, Largetooth
Sawfish, Silky
Shark
Sandbar (unless
fisherman possess a NOAA Fisheries sandbar
research permit), Atlantic Manta Ray,
Spotted Eagle Ray, Goliath Grouper ( Jewfish
), Nassau Grouper
By-catch
Provisions
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 above – totaling no
more than ten percent (10%) by weight of other
fish taken.
SALTWATER NETS
License expires September 30 of each year.
Purse Seine Licenses
• Resident
$1,800.00
• Nonresident
$3,600.00
Permits
Permits expire September 30 of each year.
Recreational nets shall not exceed 300’ in
length; commercial nets shall not exceed 2,400’
in length (main top line).
Resident
• Recreational - $60.00 + must have
purchased a license prior to June 1, 2008
and must purchase the license each
successive year.
• Commercial - $360.00 + additional $600.00
for roe mullet and Spanish mackerel permit.
Fisherman must have purchased a license
prior to June 1, 2008 and must purchase the
license each successive year.
• If a commercial or recreational gill net
license holder fails to purchase a license in a
license year they are ineligible to continue to
purchase that license.
Nonresident
• Recreational – pays the same fee as that
charged an Alabama resident to conduct the
same activity in applicant’s state of residence
provided nonresidents pay no less than twice
the cost for license that Alabama residents
pay. Must have license from previous year to
purchase current year license.
• Commercial. Not available after June 1,
2008.
Permits for commercial net and seine permits
shall only be issued to persons who purchased
such licenses in two of five years from 1989
through 1993 and who have proof of 50% of
their gross income from fishing or persons who
purchased such a license in all five years and
have filed annual income tax returns in all years.
All nets and seines must be licensed except
seines used for taking bait. Bait seines shall not
exceed twenty-five feet (25’) in length or four
feet (4’) in depth. A license made out to an
individual is not transferable; licensee must be
present when net is in use. A seafood dealer’s
license is also required if fish are sold to other
than an Alabama seafood dealer. A saltwater
fishing license is required for cast nets when
used recreationally by Alabama residents.
Restrictions
It shall be unlawful to use purse seines for the
taking or attempting to take fishes of other than
those of the families Clupeidae (menhaden and
herrings) and Engraulidae (anchovies). The
starting date for the commercial menhaden
season in the territorial waters of Alabama shall
be the third Monday in April, and the closing
date shall be November 1 of each year (both
dates inclusive). The taking of menhaden by
purse seine shall be permitted only in those
waters of Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of
Mexico as described: “Mississippi Sound and
the Gulf of Mexico west of a line extending
from the southernmost tip of Point aux Pines to
Bayou La Batre Channel Marker 17, then to the
southernmost point of the Isle aux Herbes
(Coffee Island), thence eastward to the
easternmost point of Marsh Island, then
10
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: Atlantic Angel Shark,
Bigeye Thresher Shark, Dusky Shark, Longfin
Mako Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Basking
Shark, Whale Shark, White Shark, Smalltail
Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Six
Gill Shark, Bignose Shark, Caribbean Reef
Shark,
Caribbean
Sharpnose
Shark,
Galapogos Shark, Narrow Tooth Shark,
Night Shark, Seven Gill Shark, Six Gill
Shark,
Smalltooth
Sawfish, Largetooth
Sawfish, Silky
Shark
Sandbar (unless
fisherman possess a NOAA Fisheries sandbar
research permit), Atlantic Manta Ray,
Spotted Eagle Ray, Goliath Grouper ( Jewfish
), Nassau Grouper
By-catch
Provisions
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 above – totaling no
more than ten percent (10%) by weight of other
fish taken.
SALTWATER NETS
License expires September 30 of each year.
Purse Seine Licenses
• Resident
$1,800.00
• Nonresident
$3,600.00
Permits
Permits expire September 30 of each year.
Recreational nets shall not exceed 300’ in
length; commercial nets shall not exceed 2,400’
in length (main top line).
Resident
• Recreational - $60.00 + must have
purchased a license prior to June 1, 2008
and must purchase the license each
successive year.
• Commercial - $360.00 + additional $600.00
for roe mullet and Spanish mackerel permit.
Fisherman must have purchased a license
prior to June 1, 2008 and must purchase the
license each successive year.
• If a commercial or recreational gill net
license holder fails to purchase a license in a
license year they are ineligible to continue to
purchase that license.
Nonresident
• Recreational – pays the same fee as that
charged an Alabama resident to conduct the
same activity in applicant’s state of residence
provided nonresidents pay no less than twice
the cost for license that Alabama residents
pay. Must have license from previous year to
purchase current year license.
• Commercial. Not available after June 1,
2008.
Permits for commercial net and seine permits
shall only be issued to persons who purchased
such licenses in two of five years from 1989
through 1993 and who have proof of 50% of
their gross income from fishing or persons who
purchased such a license in all five years and
have filed annual income tax returns in all years.
All nets and seines must be licensed except
seines used for taking bait. Bait seines shall not
exceed twenty-five feet (25’) in length or four
feet (4’) in depth. A license made out to an
individual is not transferable; licensee must be
present when net is in use. A seafood dealer’s
license is also required if fish are sold to other
than an Alabama seafood dealer. A saltwater
fishing license is required for cast nets when
used recreationally by Alabama residents.
Restrictions
It shall be unlawful to use purse seines for the
taking or attempting to take fishes of other than
those of the families Clupeidae (menhaden and
herrings) and Engraulidae (anchovies). The
starting date for the commercial menhaden
season in the territorial waters of Alabama shall
be the third Monday in April, and the closing
date shall be November 1 of each year (both
dates inclusive). The taking of menhaden by
purse seine shall be permitted only in those
waters of Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of
Mexico as described: “Mississippi Sound and
the Gulf of Mexico west of a line extending
from the southernmost tip of Point aux Pines to
Bayou La Batre Channel Marker 17, then to the
southernmost point of the Isle aux Herbes
(Coffee Island), thence eastward to the
easternmost point of Marsh Island, then
10