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Creel and Size Limits
Recreational Size and Creel Limits for Alabama State Waters
(Includes inshore waters and Gulf Waters out to 3 miles offshore)
Updated May 09, 2008
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SPECIES
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SIZE LIMIT
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DAILY CREEL LIMIT
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Spotted Seatrout*
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14" min. TL
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10 per person
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| Red Drum** |
16" min. - 26" max |
3 per person - 1 oversized fish allowed in the 3 fish creel limit
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| Cobia (Ling) |
33" min. FL |
2 per person |
| King Mackerel |
24" min. FL |
2 per person |
| Spanish Mackerel |
no size limit |
15 per person |
| Florida Pompano |
12" min. TL |
3 per person |
| Gag Grouper*** |
22" min TL |
***Grouper Aggregate |
| Red Grouper*** |
20" min TL |
***Only 1 Red grouper is allowed in the 5 fish Grouper Aggregate |
| Black Grouper*** |
22" min TL |
***Grouper Aggregate |
| Yellowfin Grouper*** |
20" min TL |
***Grouper Aggregate |
| Scamp*** |
16" min TL |
***Grouper Aggregate |
| Greater Amberjack |
28" min FL |
1 per person |
| Striped Bass**** |
16" min TL |
2 per person |
| Gray Triggerfish |
12" min TL |
Reef fish aggregate***** |
| Flounder |
12" min TL |
No creel limit |
| Tripletail (Blackfish) |
16" min TL |
3 per person |
| Lesser Amberjack |
14" - 22" FL |
No Creel Limit |
| Banded Rudderfish |
14" - 22" FL |
No Creel Limit |
| Yellowfin Tuna |
27" min CFL |
No Creel Limit |
| Bigeye Tuna |
27" min CFL |
No Creel Limit |
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* Spotted Seatrout (speckled trout) - no undersized fish allowed.
** Red Drum (redfish) - 1 fish may exceed maximum size.
*** Mixed species grouper aggregate creel limit (including Gag): 5 per person
**** Only two Striped Bass are allowed within MRD Jurisdiction.
***** There is a twenty (20) fish aggregate creel limit for reef fish species for which there is no other bag limit. (for example, grunts, porgies, gray triggerfish, vermilion snapper (only 10 allowed vermilion snapper allowed in the 20-fish aggregate), Lane snapper, etc.
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Red snapper season closure in federal waters: NOAA Fisheries Service announced that the recreational fishery for red snapper in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico opens at 12:01 a.m. on June 1, 2008 and will close effective 12:01 a.m. local time August 5, 2008. Click here for the NOAA Fisheries Bulletin detailing this closure.
Note: Red Snapper season has been extended within Alabama’s jurisdictional waters (out to 3 miles) through October 31, 2008. |
| Red Snapper |
16" TL |
2 per person in state and federal waters
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| Vermillon Snapper (beeliner) |
10" TL |
10 per person in Reef fish aggregate***** |
| Lane |
8" TL |
Reef Fish aggregate***** |
| Gray (mangrove, black) |
12" TL |
10 per person |
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Tarpon
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60" TL
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$50.00 tag required to possess, kill or harvest each tarpon.
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Sharks
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| Atlantic Sharpnose |
none |
2 per person per day |
| All Other Shark Species |
54" min FL |
1 per person per day |
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Alabama has instituted new regulations pertaining to the harvest of shark species for commercial and recreational purposes. Click here for info provided to aid anglers in the identification of common species of sharks which may occur in Alabama's coastal waters.
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| Prohibited Species: Goliath grouper (jewfish) (Click Here to learn more about Goliath grouper and to report sightings in Alabama waters), Nassau grouper, Atlantic angel shark, bigeye thresher, dusky, longfin mako, sand tiger, basking, whale, white, nurse, smalltail, smalltooth sawfish, largetooth sawfish, spotted eagle ray, Atlantic manta. |
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