while the majority in Mobile County are at Dauphin Island (Ronald L. Schmeid, 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, St. Petersburg, FL; 1981; pers. comm.). 

 According to Friend et al . (1981), prior to Hurricane Frederic 70% of the 

 charter and head boats in Alabama were in Baldwin County. As a result of the 

 destruction from the hurricane, particularly the loss of the Dauphin Island 

 Causeway (Biloxi quadrangle), 90% of the charter and head boats were located 

 in Baldwin County immediately after the hurricane. In terms of size, most 

 charter and head boats are between 8.5 and 17.7 m (28 to 58 ft) (Alabama Sea 

 Grant Advisory Service 1978). 



PERMITTED ARTIFICIAL FISHING REEFS 



Most of the substrate off the Alabama coast is composed of hard to soft 

 mud and sand, with little cover, such as natural reefs and obstructions, to 

 provide habitat for encrusting invertebrates and forage fish. An attempt to 

 provide such cover and thereby increase game fish populations was begun in 

 the 1950s by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. 

 The Department submerged groups of automobile bodies in waters, usually at 

 18- to 27-m (60-to 90-ft) depths. In the 1960 's and 1970 's more obstructions 

 were sunk, including such things as liberty ships, bridge materials, 

 lifeboats, pipes and culverts, and barges. Table 14 shows the compositions, 

 ages, and depths of the permitted reefs (Alabama Department of Conservation 

 and Natural Resources 1981; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1981). 



Game fishes attracted to these artificial reefs include both bottom- 

 dwelling and midwater species. Bottom-dwelling species inhabiting the 

 structures are primarily snappers (L utjanus spp.) and grouper ( Epinephelus 

 spp.). Red drum ( Sciaenops ocellatusT are found on the shallower (18- to 23-m 

 or 60- to 75-ft) reefs, especially in the winter. Pelagic midwater game 

 fishes are attracted to concentrations of forage fish swarming around the 

 reefs. The former include primarily greater amberjack ( Seriola dumeri 1 i ) , 

 crevalle jack ( Caranx hippos ) , cobia ( Rachycentron canadum ) , Tittle tunny 

 ( Euthynnus a! letteratus ) and mackerels ( Scomberomorus spp.). 



The prevailing water currents on the reefs situated off Baldwin County 

 are from the east (Florida), which gives these reefs a high affinity for the 

 blue water-sand bottom Floridian fauna. These westward currents are diverted 

 offshore by the waters flowing out of Mobile Bay. Reefs to the west, located 

 south of Dauphin Island, are subjected to lower salinities than those to the 

 east and their fauna is more estuarine in nature. The deeper reefs are less 

 subject to salinity and temperature fluctuations and their fauna has more 

 tropical affinities than the inshore reefs (Bennie Rohr, National Marine 

 Fisheries Service, Pascagoula, MS; 30 November 1982; pers. comm.). 



PUBLIC FISHING PIERS, PUBLIC ACCESS AREAS AND MARINAS 



There are six public fishing piers in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. The 

 piers on the gulf are located at Gulf State Park (Pensacola quadrangle) and 

 Young' s-by-the-sea (Pensacola quadrangle) in Baldwin County and at Bienville 

 Beach, Dauphin Island (Biloxi quadrangle) in Mobile County. The Fairhope 

 Municipal Pier (Bay Minette quadrangle), May Day Pier (Bay Minette quadrangle 

 near Daphne) and Autrey's Pier (Mobile quadrangle on Battleship Parkway) 



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