A natural oyster reef is declared and defined as not less than one acre in continuous area of any bottoms of any bay, sound, bayou, creek, inlet or any other body of salt or brackish water on which oysters grow naturally, or have grown naturally, in quantity sufficient to warrant fishing for them with hand tongs as a means of a livelihood within a period of five years next preceding the time at which said matter may be presented for consideration and determination by the Director, Marine Resources Division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. But in no case shall an oyster bed be declared or defined to be a natural oyster reef when such bed is located within the limits where the owners of land fronting on such waters where oysters may be grown have the right to create and have created, by artificial means such as planting oysters or oyster shells or by any other means, culture grounds for the growth of oysters and have by these means caused the bottoms on which such beds are located to become hardened so that oysters will grow thereon naturally even though such bed so created exceeds one acre in continuous area and even though after these beds have been artificially created oysters grow naturally thereon, or have grown naturally thereon, in quantity sufficient to warrant fishing for them with hand tongs as a means of livelihood within the period of five years next preceding the time at which said matter may be presented for consideration and determination by the Director, Marine Resources Division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Structure Code of Alabama
Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.
Chapter 12 - Marine Resources.
Division 1 - General Provisions.
Section 9-12-20 - Ownership and Control of Seafoods.
Section 9-12-21 - "Natural Oyster Reef" Defined.
Section 9-12-22 - Right of Owners of Land Fronting Public Waters to Plant and Gather Oysters.
Section 9-12-23 - Cancellation of Leases of Riparian Bottoms; Appeals.
Section 9-12-26 - Dragging of Seines Over Public Reefs or Private Oyster Grounds.
Section 9-12-28 - Oysters Management Stations; Harvest Records.
Section 9-12-29 - Patrol Boats.
Section 9-12-30 - Patrolling of Private Oyster Reefs.
Section 9-12-33 - Culling and Sacking of Oysters.
Section 9-12-35 - Cultivation, Transplantation, or Replanting of Public Reefs.
Section 9-12-36 - Taking of Oysters by Use of Mechanical Devices at Night.
Section 9-12-37 - Use of Mechanical Rake Dredges, etc., Dredge License.
Section 9-12-39 - Purchase of Seed Oysters From Public Reefs by Private Individuals, Etc.
Section 9-12-40 - Supervision of Taking of Oysters by Rake Dredges; Notice of Use of Rake Dredges.
Section 9-12-41 - Harvesting of Undersized Oysters.
Section 9-12-43 - Taking of Oysters for Replanting on Private Reefs.
Section 9-12-44 - Tax on Oysters Harvested From Private Reefs for Commercial Purposes.
Section 9-12-47 - Condemnation, Disposition, etc., of Shrimp Not Fit for Human Consumption.
Section 9-12-49 - Importation of Shrimp Into State.
Section 9-12-50 - Regulation of Transportation of Raw Oysters and Shrimp Beyond Boundaries of State.
Section 9-12-51 - Tax on Shrimp Taken for Canning, Drying or Shipping Within State.
Section 9-12-52 - Tax on Shrimp Taken for Transportation to Other States.
Section 9-12-53 - Tax on Shrimp Not to Be Exported.
Section 9-12-54 - Payment of Taxes.
Section 9-12-54.1 - Live Saltwater Bait Dealers License.
Section 9-12-54.2 - Expiration Date and Purchase of License; Nonresident License Fee.
Section 9-12-54.3 - Duties of Licensees.
Section 9-12-54.4 - Catching, etc., of Bait; Restrictions.
Section 9-12-54.5 - Catching, Etc. of Shrimp by Persons With Recreational Boat Shrimping License.
Section 9-12-54.6 - Exclusive Saltwater Bait Areas.
Section 9-12-54.7 - Penalty for Violations.
Section 9-12-61 - Taking, Sale, etc., of Oysters Under Three Inches Long.
Section 9-12-62 - Mutilation, etc., of Buoys or Markers.
Section 9-12-63 - Use of Unlicensed Boats, etc., to Take, etc., Oysters or Shrimp.