Commercial Saltwater Fishing License

Commercial Saltwater Fishing License

This is not an official copy of the laws or regulations. This explanation of the laws and regulations is correct as of the date specified. Before taking part in this fishery, please call 251-861-2882 or 251-968-7576 for updated information. It is the fisherman's responsibility to know the laws and regulations in effect at any given time.

Allowable Gear

Hook and Line, Rod and Reel, Cast Net, Trot Line, Spear, Bow and Arrow

Hook Requirements:

• Anglers fishing for, retaining, possessing, or landing gulf reef fish species (as defined in Rule 220-3-.46) must use non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural bait.
• Anglers fishing for, retaining, or possessing, or landing sharks must use non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural bait.

Reef Fish Endorsement

A Reef Fish Endorsement will be available for purchase for recreational licenses beginning August 21, 2023. Commercial license sales will begin on September 11, 2023. The Reef Fish Endorsement will be required for any person possessing, taking or attempting to take any gulf reef fish species listed in Rule 220-3-.46 (see below). This endorsement is required for all resident and non-resident anglers 16 years of age and older, and includes disabled, veterans appreciation, 65 and older, lifetime license holders, pier licenses, annual saltwater licenses, trip licenses, commercial fishermen, and charter boats.

Click here for more information about the Reef Fish Endorsement and a list of the gulf reef fish species listed in Rule 220-3-.46.

Large Coastal Sharks:

• Ridgeback Sharks (silky, tiger)
• Non-ridgeback Sharks (blacktip, bull, great hammerhead, lemon, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, spinner)

Prohibited Species:

• Goliath grouper
• Nassau grouper
• Sharks & rays (Atlantic angel shark, basking shark, dusky shark, longfin mako, smalltail shark, sand tiger, whale shark, white shark, largetooth and smalltooth sawfish, Atlantic manta, spotted eagle ray, bigeye sixgill shark, bigeye thresher shark, bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, night shark, sevengill shark, sixgill shark, and sandbar shark [unless the fishermen possesses a NOAA Fisheries sandbar shark research permit.])

NO POSSESSION LIMIT OR SIZE LIMIT ON SPECIES NOT LISTED

All finfish shall be maintained with heads and fins intact.  Sharks, swordfish, and tuna may be landed in a form permitted by federal regulations.

1. Gulf Reef Fish - Fishermen taking Gulf Reef Fish for commercial purposes from Alabama waters must fish from a vessel holding a federal reef-fish commercial vessel permit and an Individual Fishing Quota for such species that require one.
   
   1. The operator of those vessels permitted to land gulf reef fish are required to present, to any seafood dealer purchasing the Gulf Reef Fish, their federal vessel permit and Alabama Commercial Fishing License.
   2. Any vessel or individual required to possess a federal permit by the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Management Plan or permit by the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Management Plan (to be exempt from bag limit requirements) must possess such permit to possess or land such fish in Alabama.
   3. Alabama seafood dealers may purchase other seafood from federally permitted fishermen fishing the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) only if such fishermen possess a state commercial fishing license.
   4. Commercial fishermen landing Gulf Reef Fish in Alabama that are mandated under IFQ shall abide by 50 CFR Part 622 for landing, off loading, transporting, and reporting.
2. Mullet - No bag limit, except: from October 24 - December 31, the taking of mullet is prohibited in Theodore Industrial Canal, Dog River, Fowl River, or their tributaries.
3. Sharks - When federal waters adjunct to Alabama waters are closed to the commercial harvest of a shark species, it shall be unlawful to take, harvest, or possess, for commercial purposes, such sharks from the waters of the State of Alabama.  Shark fishing in Alabama waters is allowed from 12:01 a.m. each Monday through 11:59 p.m. each Friday (no weekends), but shall be closed from 12:01 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. on each of the following holidays: Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.  Alabama waters east of Little Lagoon Pass (87 44.4'W) are closed.
4. When adjoining federal waters are closed then state waters are closed to the taking of gulf reef fish, king mackerel, and sharks.  Commercially licensed Alabama gillnet fishermen targeting other fish may have an incidental by-catch of dressed weight sharks totaling no more than 10% by weight of other fish taken. 

• Commercially licensed fishermen can sell their catch only to a licensed Alabama seafood dealer.
• No person shall sell, trade or barter - or possess or transport for commercial purposes - any red drum, spotted seatrout, striped bass (caught under AMRD jurisdiction), or tarpon caught in Alabama waters.
• Season closes in state waters for Gulf Reef Fish, king mackerel, and sharks upon closure of federal waters.
• It is unlawful to possess, in Alabama, any species of saltwater fish or seafood product taken in federal waters of another state unlawfully in violation of any applicable federal or other state creel, possession, or size limit.

*Commercial fishermen shall not possess game fish (spotted seatrout, red drum, striped bass caught under AMRD jurisdiction, and tarpon).  They may use a recreational license and adhere to all bag and creel limits.

Saltwater finfish commercially harvested in the state of Alabama must be landed in this state and reported through a properly licensed Alabama seafood dealer.

Persons who are transporting commercially harvested saltwater finfish out of the state of Alabama must have, in their possession, proof that said finfish were first landed and reported to a licensed Alabama seafood dealer (a bill of sale, receipt, or trip ticket showing the pounds of fish, the species, the price paid for the product, fishermen's name and license or permit number, the name of the seafood dealer, date of harvest, and date of purchase).