At its first meeting of 2025, the Alabama Conservation Advisory Board considered key proposals aimed at refining the state’s hunting and fishing regulations. Among the topics discussed were adjustments to the red snapper season, and changes to the daily bag limits for certain fish species. The meeting, held in Montgomery, also featured a report from Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Commissioner Chris Blankenship on the current state of conservation efforts across the state. Below is additional information from an article by David Rainer in Outdoor Alabama.

The proposed changes to red snapper season should be great news for those who love to fish for Alabama’s signature saltwater species. Commissioner Blankenship brought to the Board’s attention the Marine Resources Division (MRD) proposal to change the dates for the private recreational red snapper season that would keep the season open during the peak summer fishing period. According to MRD’s Snapper Check data, private anglers harvested 570,856 pounds of red snapper during the 2024 season, well below the harvest limit of 659,654 pounds. MRD conducted a series of public meetings and provided a way to gain input from the public on fisheries' management under the state’s control.

“The recommendation from our Marine Resources Division is to set the opening of red snapper season on the Friday before Memorial Day and be open seven days a week through June 30,” he said. “Then it would be open for four-day weekends starting July 4 until the quota is met. Since that season would start pretty close to our May meeting, I wanted to get this before the Board as new business so we can set that season and get that information out to the public. The majority of the people who responded to the (MRD) survey wanted that season instead of just a weekend season.”

The Board unanimously approved MRD’s red snapper season recommendation.

Other MRD proposals from Director Scott Bannon included the removal of the exception for anglers to keep one redfish larger than 26 inches in total length to protect the brood stock of the species, a reduction in the bag limit for sheepshead from 10 fish to eight because of increased fishing pressure, and an increase in the daily harvest limit for commercial gill net anglers who target flounder from 40 fish per day to 80 fish per day. MRD also proposed a bag and size limit for common snook, which is expanding its range into Alabama coastal waters. The limit on snook would be one per day per angler with a 28-inch minimum size total length. Another proposal would allow commercial shark anglers to have 2,400 feet of line with a maximum of 50 hooks at least 15/0 in size. The line would be required to be anchored and marked with an identification number, and squid would be outlawed as bait because it can attract sea turtles.