All the beds and bottoms of the rivers, bayous, lagoons, lakes, bays, sounds and inlets within the jurisdiction of the State of Alabama are the property of the State of Alabama to be held in trust for the people thereof, but the owners of land fronting on such waters where oysters may be grown shall have the right to plant and gather same in the waters in front of their land to the distance of 600 yards from the shore measured from the average low water mark, but where the distance from shore to shore is less than 1,200 yards, the owners of either shore may plant and gather to a line equidistant between the two shores, but no person shall plant in any natural channel so as to interfere with navigation. The respective owners shall plant within lines extended into the water from points where the boundaries intersect the shore, as nearly as practicable, with a mean width corresponding with their respective frontages on the shore, but should the lines thus extended cross each other or seriously interfere with obtaining such mean width, then a line equidistant from the shore lines of the respective owners shall be the boundary between such planting grounds. No riparian right shall vest in any person to any part of the natural and public reefs; provided, that the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall have authority to regulate the time, manner, means or place or places for planting oysters or oyster shells.
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.