Official Web site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

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

SPECIES

SIZE LIMIT

DAILY CREEL LIMIT

Spotted Seatrout*

14" min. TL

10 per person

Red Drum** 16" min. - 26" max 3 per person - 1 oversized fish allowed in the 3 fish creel limit
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

* 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.

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.
Red Snapper 16" TL 2 per person in state and federal waters
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

Tarpon

60" TL

$50.00 tag required to possess, kill or harvest each tarpon.

Sharks
Atlantic Sharpnose none 2 per person per day
All Other Shark Species 54" min FL 1 per person per day

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.

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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