The following is hereby designated as legal fishing equipment and methods for taking of freshwater mussels or other freshwater bivalved mollusca in the freshwaters of this State. Any other equipment or methods used in the taking of freshwater mussels or other mollusca is in violation of this regulation.

1. (1) By use of brails with hooks and constructed of wire 14 gauge or larger and with prongs not longer than 2 inches from the tip of point to point where prongs are wrapped or joined.
2. (2) By hand and/or with the use of diving equipment.
3. (3) By the use of a shell bar with a limit of six (6) feet in length.
4. (4) Licensed fishermen may use a rake or dip net no wider than 24 inches to collect Asiatic clam Corbicula for fish bait. Harvest of any other species of freshwater bivalved mollusca with such equipment or sale of Corbicula harvested with such equipment will be a violation of this regulation.

Author: James D. Martin

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 9-11-371, 9-2-7, 9-2-8, 9-2-12.

Penalty: As provided by law.

History: Filed September 30, 1982. Amended: August 6, 1987; August 20, 1992. Amended: Filed September 13, 1995; effective October 19, 1995.