Commercial Shrimping Regulations

Commercial Shrimping Regulations

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 or explore this website for updated information. It is the fisherman's responsibility to know the laws and regulations in effect at any given time.

DEFINITION

The taking or attempting to take shrimp by a trawl or trawls used together which exceed 16 feet as measure along the main top line; as well as, the taking or attempting to take shrimp by any trawl 16 feet or less while licensed as a commercial shrimp boat.

LICENSE

License is issued to the boat and cannot be transferred.

Commercial shrimp boat decals should be displayed on the port side of the vessel.

Non-residents pay a license fee equal to that paid by Alabama residents or boats to shrimp in their state but no less than double the amount provided for above.  Non-residents licenses are sold only by Marine Resources Division offices.

Person trawling for crabs for commercial purposes or selling crabs taken incidentally while shrimping must have a crab license.  Shrimp and bycatch can be sold only to an Alabama seafood dealer unless the shrimper possesses a seafood dealers license (must meet requirements for license).

SEASON

All inside waters closed to commercial and recreational shrimping from 6:00 a.m., May 1st to 6:00 a.m., June 1st of each year.

From 6:00 a.m., August 15th, until 6:00 a.m., October 1st of each year, the area in Mobile Bay from center of May Day Park out to 1/2 nautical mile (nm) then south to the northern edge of Point Clear Channel will be open only to the use of a cast net to catch shrimp for non-commercial purposes not to exceed 1 gallon per person per day.

POUNDS ALLOWED

No limit

MESH SIZE

No restriction

TRAWL SIZE

In inside waters (bays, sounds, etc.) a trawl or trawls used together cannot exceed 50 feet as measured along the main top line.  No more than two trawls may be used at the same time (not including a "try trawl," which cannot exceed 10 feet as measured along the top line).  No restrictions on trawl size offshore (Gulf of Mexico).

OTHER

It is unlawful for any person to drag an a net, seine, or trawl over public or private oyster reefs.  Commercially licensed boats cannot shrimp in exclusive bait areas.  It is unlawful to retain gamefish, which includes: red drum, spotted seatrout, tarpon, and striped bass caught with a trawl.  It is unlawful to discard dead fish or other dead seafood within 500 feet of any shoreline or into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico within 3 miles of the Gulf beaches (includes Pelican Bay). 

The use of any trawl or trawls, or the taking of shrimp by any means, in any area closed to commercial shrimping is hereby expressly prohibited.

Little Lagoon is closed to all trawls which exceed 16 feet as measured across the cork line or top line (Reg. 2003-MR-2, Rule 220-3-.64).

PERMANENTLY CLOSED AREAS

(SHRIMP TAKEN BY ANY METHOD SHALL NOT BE RETAINED)

1. All rivers*, streams, bayous, and creeks with the State (except Bayou St. John, Old River in Baldwin County and that portion of the Blakeley River designated by law as an exclusive bait shrimp area). *The mouth of the Mobile River is defined as a line running from the southernmost point of Pinto Island due west to a point on the mainland.
2. All of Portersville Bay inside a line running from Barron Point on Mon Louis Island, (30º19.110’N – 88º11.519’W), thence to the south shore of Marsh Island (30º19.201’N – 88º13.473’W) thence to the south shoreline of the Isle aux Herbes (Coffee Island) (30º19.466’N – 88º15.346’W) and then along the western shoreline of the Isle aux Herbes to a point on the mainland due north of the northern tip of the Isle aux Herbes (30º22.008’N – 88º15.543’W).
3. Heron Bay which is described as that body of water lying north of a line extending from Barry Point on Mon Louis Island (30º19.883’N - 88º08.999’W) south southeast to Cedar Point (30º18.594’N - 88º08.278’W) and that portion of Mississippi Sound north of the Intracoastal Waterway and east of a line extending from Barron Point on Mon Louis Island (30º19.110’N – 88º11.519’W), southeasterly to Range Marker "D" on the Intracoastal Waterway.
4. All of Weeks Bay.
5. Theodore Industrial Canal.
6. Bon Secour bay within 2500 feet of the mouth of Weeks Bay.
7. All waters north of the southernmost edge of the Interstate Highway 10 eastbound lane (except that portion of Interstate Highway 10 which lies north of U.S. Highway 90 [Battleship Parkway]), in which case the line follows the southernmost edge of the Battleship Parkway.
8. That portion of Mobile Bay and west of a line running from the intersection of the Dog River Bridge with the Dog River Channel east along the northern edge of the Dog River Channel to its intersection with the Mobile Ship Channel (MSC) then north along the west side of the MSC to the Upper Reach Rear Range (located on the north side of the Arlington Channel) then north and east of a line running southeast to the charted position of the center of May Day Pier (30 35.966'N, 87 54.851'W) to its intersection with land.  There shall be a 300 foot safety buffer along the western edge of the MSC where towing a trawl shall be allowed for turning by vessels (exception: 1 gallon of shrimp per person per day is allowed for bait or non-commercial purposes with a cast net.)
9. All waters in Mobile County north of a line beginning at the Mississippi state line running east to the eastern tip of the South Rigolets (30 21.120'N, 88 23.490'W) then northeast to the southwest tip of Point Aux Pins (30 22.271'N, 88 18.888'W) then east to the charted position of the "BC" Beacon in the Bayou La Batre Channel and then southeast to the northwest point of the middle cut that bisects Coffee Island (Isle Aux Herbes) defined as 30 20.785'N, 88 15.721'W.
10. North of Lillian Bridge in Baldwin County.
11. Little Lagoon Pass in Baldwin County.
12. Perdido Pass in Baldwin County which is defined as those waters north of Perdido Pass Channel markers #1 and #2 and south of the charted position of channel marker #12 in Terry Cove.
13. Exclusive bait areas are permanently closed to commercial shrimping.

Note:  Indian Bay and Lafitte Bay bottoms (Dauphin Island) are privately owned and may be closed to shrimping.

EXCLUSIVE BAIT AREAS (Closed to Commercial Shrimping)

Areas open only to licensed recreational shrimping and live saltwater bait dealers.  Shrimp may only be taken from these exclusive areas from 4:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

BALDWIN COUNTY

1. Wolf Bay:  that area encompassing the water within the boundary from the south shore of Wolf Bay northward to Beacon #86 on the north side of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway then westward along the north side of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to Beacon #94 then south across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to the south shore of Wolf Bay.
2. Oyster Bay:  that area encompassing those waters of Oyster Bay except those waters north of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
3. Blakeley River:  that area encompassing the waters in the mouth of the Blakeley River between the I-10 bridge and the Highway 90 (old causeway) bridge.
4. Terry Cove

MOBILE COUNTY

1. Arlington Channel
2. East Fowl River Channel:  from Beacon #5 and #6 to the mouth of the river.
3. Bayou La Batre Channel:  From Bayou La Batre Channel B.C. Beacon to the mouth of Bayou La Batre.
4. Dauphin Island Bay
5. Buchanan Bay, Confederate Pass, British Bay, Columbia Bay, Colony Bay (Colony Cove), Spanish Bay, Barcelona Bay

SEASONAL BAIT AREAS

**Areas open exclusively to the commercial and recreational taking of live saltwater bait when adjacent waters are closed.

BALDWIN COUNTY

1. Point Clear:  that area beginning at a point of land at the southern entrance of the marina at Great Point Clear (30 29.195'N, 87 56.072'W) then southwestwardly to the charted position of Point Clear light #4 then running southeastwardly to a point of land at the end of Zundel Road (30 28.416'N, 87 55.263'W).
2. Mullet Point:  beginning at Mullet Point Park ramp then running southwesterly to Tall Range "2", the southwardly to a point (30 23.720'N, 87 55.330'W), then running due east to terminate on the shore.
3. Ft. Morgan:  beginning at the shoreline east of the Gulf Shores Marina at Ft. Morgan due north one-half nautical mile, then due west for one nautical mile, then due south to the shoreline on the west side of the Ft. Morgan boat ramp.  The area is defined by the following corner points; NW 30 14.500'N, 88 01.100'W; NE 30 14.500'N, 87 59.600'W; SW 30 13.900'N, 88 01.100'W; SE 30 13.970'N, 87 59.600'W.

MOBILE COUNTY

1. Aloe Bay:  from Gulf Intracoastal Waterway marker #19 running southward to Tall Range D, thence to the western edge of the mouth of Heron Bayou on Dauphin Island, and west of the Dauphin Island Bridge and south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

SPECIAL LIVE BAIT AREAS (PERMIT REQUIRED)

1. Mobile Ship Channel Bait Area:  May 1-June 1 during commercial and recreational shrimp closures.  North of a line running through the charted position of Mobile Ship Channel marker #69 and the charted position of Mobile Ship Channel marker #70 and south of a line running through the Upper Rear Range and the charted position of Mobile Ship Channel marker #78.  There shall be a 300-foot safety buffer along the western and eastern edge of the described area in the Mobile Ship Channel where towing a trawl shall be allowed for turning by vessels.
2. USS Battleship Alabama Bait Area:  In addition, when the area described above is open to commercial shrimping from March 1 through December 31 and only then, an area beside the Battleship south of the Tensaw River Bridge, north of a line from the north point of Pinto Pass to the northwest edge of Goat Island to the eastern end of Tensaw River Bridge shall be open for this purpose.

FEDERAL REGULATIONS - Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDS):  For the latest rules contact National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) at (727) 570-5312.  For technical assistance call (228) 762-4591

SHRIMP TRAWLER:  On board or landed catch of shrimp is more than 1% by weight of all fish comprising on board or landed catch.

All shrimp trawlers in state and federal waters must use a Turtle Excluder Device. (See Exemptions)

TED EXEMPTIONS

1. A shrimp trawler with no power or mechanical advantage trawl retrieval system on board (i.e., all gear is retrieved by hand).
2. A shrimp trawler fishing only with a pusher-head trawl ("chopstick rig"), skimmer trawl, or wing net ("butterfly net").
3. Single test net ("try net") with head rope length 20 feet or less; State water-"try net" can not exceed 10 feet.
4. Beam or roller trawl fished without doors, boards, or similar devices.
5. Royal red shrimp fishermen - if 90% of their catch by weight is royal red shrimp.