The gillnet sampling program was fully established in 2001 as a part of the MRD Fisheries Assessment and Monitoring Program (FAMP) that collects fisheries data independent of the recreational and commercial fisheries. The data is collected to monitor fish populations in Alabama coastal waters and aid managers in decision making processes regarding gear regulations, catch limits and lengths to ensure self-sustaining populations of fishes. The sampling program is a stratified random sampling program that increases the precision of estimating population characteristics. Small and large mesh net are used to allow biologist to account for the varying sizes and shapes of finfish inhabiting the coastal waters of Alabama. The small mesh net consists of 5 panels of net in varying stretched mesh sizes (2"- 4" mesh) and stretches out 750 feet. The large mesh net consists of 4 panels of net in varying stretched mesh sizes (4.5"-6" mesh) and stretches out 600 feet. Similar multipaneled gillnet configurations are employed by neighboring states and information obtained can be compared or combined so that management decisions may have implications Gulf wide. The use of gillnets allows for the collection of information on important commercial and recreational target species (such as Spotted Seatrout, flounders, Red Drum, Sheepshead, and Striped Mullet) at various lengths and ages throughout the fishes’ life.
To ensure that all coastal Alabama waters are accounted for the Mississippi Sound, Mobile Bay, and Perdido System are divided into 4 major sampling areas. Each major sample area is further broken down into 5 smaller sample sites. A total of 240 net sets per year, divided evenly between small and large mesh nets is the target number. Along with collecting finfish from each set hydrological data is also recorded. The hydrological data collected includes surface water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen.
