HB407 Summary

• Amends Alabama Code Section 9-12-113 to specify activities requiring a saltwater commercial fishing license, including selling finfish, taking finfish by various methods, possessing finfish for commercial purposes on boats, and off-loading catches to seafood dealers.

• Establishes licensing fees for residents: $100 for hook and line fishing, $300 for net/seine permits (plus $500 additional for Roe Mullet and Spanish Mackerel), and $1,500 for purse seine licenses; nonresident fees are doubled or tripled.

• Requires net and seine permit applicants to demonstrate they purchased licenses in at least two of five years during 1989-1993 and derived at least 50% of gross income from seafood capture and sale, with permits non-transferable under subdivision (2).

• Establishes a 10-point violation system that triggers automatic and permanent revocation of all licenses and permits upon accumulating 10 points within three years, with points assigned for offenses such as game fish trafficking (10 points), fishing in closed areas (5 points), and improper gear marking (4 points).

• Imposes mandatory minimum fines of $2,000 for first-time violations of using nets/seines without proper licensing and $3,000 plus 10 days imprisonment for subsequent violations within three years.