Source: https://www.outdooralabama.com/saltwater-regulations-and-enforcement/gill-net-regulation-changes
Timestamp: 2018-07-20 18:31:04
Document Index: 399401229

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 912', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9', '§ 9']

Gill Net Regulation Changes - 2015
(1) Any person possessing, transporting, or using any seine, gill net, trammel net, or other entangling net more than 300 feet in length as measured along the cork line or main top line, or possessing, transporting, or using for commercial purposes a seine, gill net, trammel net, or other entangling net 300 feet or less as measured along the cork line or main top line, on or in the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2.42, shall be validly licensed or permitted under Ala. Code 1975 § 9-12-113 and shall have such license or permit in possession. Except that any person possessing a valid Federal Fisheries Permit that allows the use of a seine, gill net, trammel net or other entangling net in federal waters may transport such net on board a boat without an Alabama commercial gill net license in the following waters of the State of Alabama: in a marked navigational channel, due south of the charted position of Bayou La Batre Channel Marker " 5 ", in the Gulf of Mexico due south of Perdido Pass, and for vessels leaving from Billy Goat Hole on Dauphin Island or Fort Morgan Ramp, lower Mobile Bay. All vessels using this lower Mobile Bay transport exception shall proceed as directly, continuously and expeditiously as possible to or from the Mobile Ship Channel. All vessels using any transport exception shall proceed as directly, continuously and expeditiously as possible to or from Federal waters. Provided further, any person possessing, transporting, or using for recreational purposes a gill net 300 feet or less as measured along the cork line or main top line, on or in the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42 shall be validly licensed under Ala. Code 1975 § 9-12-123 and shall have such license in possession.
(2) Roe mullet permit requirements: Any person possessing, using, or attempting to use, any commercial gill net, trammel net, or other entangling net with a mesh size of two (2) inches knot to knot or larger to take or attempt to take any fish during the period of October 24 through December 31 of each year in the waters of Alabama must have a roe mullet permit as provided by Ala. Code, § 9-12-113; provided further, that any person in possession of mullet while possessing, using, or attempting to use any commercial gill net, trammel net, or other entangling net is also required to have said roe mullet permit.
(a) From 12:01 a.m. May 15 to 12:01 a.m. the day after Labor Day each year thereafter, all waters of the Gulf of Mexico, from Old Little Lagoon Pass East to the Florida line shall be closed to the commercial use of gill nets, trammel nets, other entangling nets, seines, and haul seines.
(b) It shall be unlawful to use or possess a gill net, trammel net, other entangling net or seine in Alabama waters in the Gulf of Mexico, including Pelican Bay, from March 15 through Labor Day each year from 12:00 noon each Friday through 7:00 pm each Sunday. Except that any person possessing a valid Federal Fisheries Permit that allows the use of a seine, gill net, trammel net or other entangling net in federal waters may transport such net on board a boat without an Alabama commercial gill net license in the following waters of the State of Alabama: in a marked navigational channel, due south of the charted position of Bayou La Batre Channel Marker " 5", in the Gulf of Mexico due south of Perdido Pass, and for vessels leaving from Billy Goat Hole on Dauphin Island or Fort Morgan Ramp, lower Mobile Bay. All vessels using this lower Mobile Bay transport exception shall proceed as directly, continuously and expeditiously as possible to or from the Mobile Ship Channel. All vessels using any transport exception shall proceed as directly, continuously and expeditiously as possible to or from Federal waters.
(c) In addition, all waters of the Gulf of Mexico including Pelican
Bay, from the shoreline (including Pelican/Sand Island) out to 0.25 miles shall be closed year round to the commercial use of gill nets, trammel nets, other entangling nets, seines, and haul seines, except as follows:
(i) From 12:01 a.m. March 15 to 12:01 a.m. May 15 each year, the following portion of said waters shall be open to such use from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 12:00 midnight to 12:00 noon on Friday and from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight on Sunday: From Old Little Lagoon Pass, East to the Florida Line;
(iv) From March 15 through Labor Day each year, the following portion of said waters shall be open to such use from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday through
Thursday, 12:00 midnight to 12:00 noon on Friday and from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight on Sunday: West of Old Little Lagoon Pass to the last house on Dauphin Island (located at Longitude 88º11.500W).
(v) From March 15 through Labor Day each year, the following portion of said waters shall be open to such use from 7:00 p.m. Sunday through 12:00 noon Friday each week: Those waters west of the last house on Dauphin Island (located at Longitude 88º11.500).
(d) For the purposes of this regulation, Old Little Lagoon Pass is located at Longitude 087º47.826W.
(e) All Gulf waters including Pelican Bay shall be closed to the use of recreational gill nets.
(f) The minimum mesh size for gill nets permitted under Ala. Code, § 912-113 used to take or attempt to take fish in the Gulf of Mexico, shall be one and one-half (1 1/2) inches knot to knot, except otherwise provided in paragraphs (2) (roe mullet) and (5)(b) (menhaden). Provided further, it shall be unlawful to possess a gill net in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico including Pelican Bay the mesh of which is smaller than one and one half (1 1/2) inches knot to knot, except as provided in (5)(b) menhaden.
(8)(a) Except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, it shall be unlawful to take or attempt to take any fish in the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42 with any seine or purse seine over twenty-five (25) feet in length with a mesh size smaller than three-fourths (3/4) inch knot to knot.
(b) From October 24 through December 31 of each year, it shall be unlawful to use, or attempt to use, any seine to take, or attempt to take, mullet in the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42.
(13) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to use any gill net, trammel net, seine or purse seine, or other entangling net to take or attempt to take fish in any marked navigational channel, Theodore Industrial Canal, Little Lagoon Pass, Perdido Pass, or any man-made canal (including but not limited to the following bays and canals on Dauphin Island: Quivera Bay, Polaris Lagoon, Port Royal Lagoon, Lafitte Bay, Indian Bay, Indian Canal, Buchanan Bay, Columbia Bay, Colony Cove, Spanish Bay, Barcelona Bay, Salt Creek, Government Cut, and Billy Goat Hole); provided further, it shall be unlawful to use any gill net, trammel net, seine or purse seine, or other entangling net to take or attempt to take fish within 300 feet of the mouth of Dog River, Theodore Industrial Canal, East Fowl River, Old East Fowl River (both entrances), West Fowl River, Bayou Coden, Bayou La Batre, and the Mobile Bay entrance to Billy Goat Hole/Government Cut in Mobile County, or Fly Creek, Fish River, Magnolia River, Graham Bayou, Wolf Creek, Miflin Creek, Roberts Bayou, Palmetto Creek, Soldier Creek, Perdido Pass, and Little Lagoon Pass in Baldwin County.
(14) It shall be unlawful to use any seine, gill net, trammel net, or other entangling net required to be licensed or permitted under Ala. Code, § 9-12-113, to take or attempt to take fish within 300 feet of any pier, marina, or boat launching ramp. It shall be unlawful to use any seine, gill net, trammel net, or other entangling net to take or attempt to take fish within 300 feet of any of the following "relic" piers: Zundel's, Old Daphne Steamship, Battles, and Quarantine, or within 300 feet of artificial reef areas established and marked by the Marine Resources Division, within the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42; provided further, it shall be unlawful to use any seines or nets in any manner so as to prevent ingress or egress to or from any pier, wharf, dock, marina, or boat launching ramp. The prohibited use areas referred to herein shall be considered closed areas for the purposes of Ala. Code 1975 § 9-12-113 (j)(2).
(16) Gill, trammel, and other entangling nets, and seines operated in the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42 must be constantly attended by the person licensed or permitted to operate the net. Any person convicted of the violation of an unattended gill, trammel, or other entangling net or seine required to be licensed or permitted under Alabama Code § 9-12-113, shall receive three (3) points toward the 10-point system provided for by Alabama Code § 9-12-113.
(17) There is hereby established a recreational possession limit on mullet caught by cast net or snagging of 25 fish per boat per day or 25 fish per person per day from the shore during the period of October 24 through December 31 of each year. During the period of October 24 through December 31 it shall be unlawful to possess on board a boat, for recreational purposes, more than 25 mullet while cast netting or snagging in waters closed to the use of gill nets. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, however, from October 24 through December 31, it shall be unlawful to take mullet by snagging (a method of taking fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul hook a fish. A fish is foul hooked when caught by a hook in an area other than the fish's mouth), or by the use of a cast net in Theodore Industrial Canal, Dog River, Fowl River, or tributaries thereof.
(20) It shall be unlawful to possess game fish in conjunction with the use or possession of any net, seine, or purse seine, required to be licensed or permitted under Ala. Code, § 9-12-113, or required to be licensed under Ala. Code, § 9-12-123. Commercial fishermen shall not possess game fish. Any person convicted of the violation of possession of game fish in conjunction with the use or possession of any net, seine, or purse seine required to be licensed or permitted under Ala. Code, § 9-12-113, shall receive four (4) points toward the 10-point system provided for by Ala. Code, § 9-12-113.
(21) It shall be unlawful to use or possess on board a vessel a gill, trammel, or other entangling net or seine that does not have one float or cork at least two (2) inches in diameter at intervals of five feet or less along the float line; or a buoy with a diameter of at least six (6) inches at intervals of fifty feet or less along the float line.