By DAVID RAINER
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The season opener for gray triggerfish in state and federal waters is March 1, which marks the first season that reporting of triggerfish and greater amberjack becomes mandatory in the Alabama Red Snapper Reporting (Snapper Check) System.
The gray triggerfish limit is one per person with a minimum size of 15 inches total length. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has set a quota for the Gulf of Mexico at 305,300 pounds, and the triggerfish season is set to close on May 31 or when NMFS determines the quota has been met. Federal management of gray triggerfish is through the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC), an advisory body to NMFS.