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Caribbean reef sharkin Alabama

Put it back

Carcharhinus perezii.

Studio photograph of a Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezii), side view, on a white background

Alabama state waters, out to 3 miles

SizeHarvest prohibited

BagZeroCounts toward the Prohibited Species aggregate

SeasonClosed year-round

AL MRD 2026 · checked 2026-09-20 · the official rulebook is the final word

Often mistaken for

Studio photograph of a Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus), side view, on a white background

Blacktip sharkCrisp black fin tips, pointed snout. Tell them apart

Size54 in fork length minimum

Bag1 per person per day

SeasonOpen year-round

Studio photograph of a Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), side view, on a white background

Sandbar sharkMuch taller first dorsal. Tell them apart

SizeHarvest prohibited

BagZero

SeasonClosed year-round

Illustration of a Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas), side view, on a white background

Bull sharkBroader head, stockier still. Tell them apart

Size54 in fork length minimum

Bag1 per person per day

SeasonOpen year-round

Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.

How to tell it
Bulky gray reef shark with a short blunt snout and dusky (not black-tipped) fin undersides — the default shark on Keys reefs. More on the Caribbean reef shark page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Caribbean reef shark in other states17 rulebooks
Connecticut Delaware Florida (Atlantic)Florida (Gulf)Georgia Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Mississippi New Jersey New York Rhode Island South Carolina Texas Virginia Every state
Questions anglers ask2
Can you keep Caribbean reef shark in Alabama?
No. Harvest is prohibited in Alabama. Release it in the water where you can.
How current is this Alabama Caribbean reef shark rule?
Source: AL MRD 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.