For the first time, Alabama anglers are now restricted in the number of flounder allowed in the daily creel limit. Barnett Lawley, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, signed the new saltwater fishing regulations, which contains a 10-fish daily creel limit on flounder, as well as increases in the minimum size limits on triggerfish and amberjack.
Before, there was a 12-inch minimum size limit on flounder but no creel limit.
“For a variety of reasons, there has been a shift in fishing effort from offshore species to inshore,” said Vernon Minton, Director of the Marine Resources Division. “To ensure flounder are not overfished, especially during the vulnerable times when the fish are migrating in and out of Mobile Bay, we felt a creel limit was the appropriate measure. A 10-flounder limit is still a liberal creel.”
The regulations also increased the minimum size on triggerfish to 14 inches fork length and on amberjack to 30 inches fork length to comply with federal regulations that went into effect Aug. 5.
Commissioner Lawley also signed a regulation that removes the prohibition of the use of nets to catch mullet in Mobile Bay and Bon Secour Bay north of the Intracoastal Waterway from the day after Labor Day to Oct. 31.
“In years past, the food value for mullet wasn’t worth much,” said Chris Blankenship, Acting Chief of Enforcement at Marine Resources. “Now, the price of food mullet is about equal to roe mullet. The removal of this restriction allows net fishermen more access to mullet for the food market.”
Blankenship also reminds anglers that all fishing licenses expired on Aug. 31. Fishing licenses for the 2008-2009 season went on sale Aug. 27.
