Alabama has abundant aquatic resources, a moderate climate, and complex terrain, ranging from the Cumberland Plateau in the north to the coastal plain in the south. According to the Alabama wildlife action plan, this state surpasses all other states in diversity of fish and invertebrates. Freshwater resources include 47 reservoirs over 500 acres, and more than one million total acres of reservoirs, lakes, and ponds, 23 Alabama State Public Fishing Lakes and 77,000 miles of rivers, streams and the Mobile Delta. Marine resources include Mobile Bay and about 53 miles of Gulf of Mexico coastline and associated estuaries. About 700 thousand hunters and anglers live in Alabama and help to support more than 30,000 jobs and generate $166 million in state and local taxes. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources mission is to manage, protect, conserve, and enhance the aquatic resources of this great state.

Alabama State Wildlife Action Plan

More about conservation in Alabama

SARP Contact:
Stan Cook, Chief, Freshwater Fisheries Division, ADCNR

Key Focus Areas:

AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES (ANS)
ALABAMA ANS Management Plan Project
Current Status of ANS Management Plan:  Final stages of approval.
SARP ANS Contact:  Steve Rider, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, ADCNR
For more information: www.outdooralabama.com/education/generalinfo/ans
SARP ANS Coordinator:  Marilyn Barrett-O’Leary

Program Activity:

SOUTHEASTERN INSTREAM FLOW NETWORK (SIFN)
ALABAMA Instream Flow Project
Current Instream Flow Policy:  None other than 7Q10 for water quality permits

SIFN State Team participant organizations:

• Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management
• Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs
• Geological Survey of Alabama
• US Geological Survey
• The Nature Conservancy

SARP SIFN Contact:  Stan Cook, Chief, Freshwater Fisheries Division, ADCNR

Instream Flow Update:
The Alabama Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management was established by resolution in 2008 and has been hearing testimony on water resources from a broad array of stakeholders statewide.  They intend to provide recommendations for state water management to the legislature in 2010.  The SIFN state team is coordinating and providing instream flow and additional water management information to the committee.