Catfish; transfer out of state of those harvested in public waters prohibited; criminal penalties for violations established

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Sells
Last action: 2026-02-19
Official status: Read Second Time in House of Origin
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Ban on Taking Live Catfish Out of Alabama

This law stops people from taking live catfish caught in public waters out of the state and sets fines for breaking this rule.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits transporting a live catfish harvested from public waters outside of Alabama.
Defines the family Ictaluridae as the type of fish covered by this new ban.
Sets a fine of at least $1,000 for a first violation of the rule.
Increases penalties to a Class A misdemeanor and a minimum $2,000 fine for second or later violations.

Who It Names or Affects

People who catch live catfish in public waters
Firms that handle harvested fish
Corporations involved in transporting fish

Terms To Know

Family Ictaluridae: The scientific name for the group of fish known as catfish.
Public waters: Bodies of water defined in Section 9-11-80.
Class B misdemeanor: A type of criminal offense with specific penalties set for a first violation.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies to live catfish, not dead ones.
This rule does not take effect until October 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-02-19 House
Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar
2026-02-19 House
Reported Out of Committee House of Origin
2026-02-17 House
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-02-17 House
Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

Official Summary Text

Catfish; transfer out of state of those harvested in public waters prohibited; criminal penalties for violations established

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB463 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB463
BYEP5J4-1
By Representative Sells
RFD: Agriculture and Forestry
First Read: 17-Feb-26
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BYEP5J4-1 02/17/2026 ZAK (L)ZAK 2026-927
Page 1
First Read: 17-Feb-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a person may not transport
certain fish in certain numbers outside of this state.
This bill would prohibit a person from
transporting out of this state a live catfish that is
harvested from state waters.
This bill would also provide criminal penalties
for violations.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to natural resources; to amend Section
9-11-86, Code of Alabama 1975, to prohibit persons from
transporting out of this state a live catfish harvested in
public waters; and to provide criminal penalties for
violations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 9-11-86, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§9-11-86
(a) No person , firm, or corporation shall may carry,
ship, or transport beyond the boundaries of this state more
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HB463 INTRODUCED
Page 2
ship, or transport beyond the boundaries of this state more
than one day's creel limit of any species of game fish and
then only for his or her personal use. Any person violating
this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on
conviction, shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars
($100) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
(b)(1) No person may transport out of this state a live
fish of the family Ictaluridae that is harvested from public
waters as defined in Section 9-11-80.
(2) A person who violates subdivision (1) shall be
punished as follows:
a. On a first violation, a Class B misdemeanor and
fined not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000).
b. On a second and any subsequent violation, a Class A
misdemeanor and fined not less then two thousand dollars
($2,000). "
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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