Title 9 — Title 9

(a) The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall have full jurisdiction and control of all seafoods existing or living in the waters of Alabama and of all public and natural oyster reefs and oyster bottoms of the State of Alabama, and it shall ordain, promulgate and…

The Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is hereby designated as an awarding authority. History: (Acts 1953, No. 521, p. 685, §1.)

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is hereby empowered and authorized to prepare plans and specifications for the construction or modification of any buildings or facilities within the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. History…

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is empowered and authorized to enter into contracts with engineering or architectural firms for the preparation of plans and/or specifications to be used by said department in constructing or modifying buildings and other facil…

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is further empowered and authorized to enter into contracts for the construction or modification of any buildings or facilities within the jurisdiction of said department; provided, however, that all such contracts shall be inv…

Finance Not Required as to Certain Contracts; Compliance with State Building Code. All construction or modification contracts as specified in this article which may hereafter be made are excepted from approval by the Division of Construction Management of the Department of Financ…

Appointment, Term of Office, Oath, and Bond. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall be headed by and shall be under the direction, supervision and control of an officer who shall be known and designated as the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources…

Duties Generally. All functions and duties of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall be exercised by the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources acting by himself or by and through such administrative divisions or such officers or employees as he ma…

(a) There is created within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources a division to be known as the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. (b) Wherever reference is made to the Game and Fish Division or the Division of Game and Fish in this title, or in any oth…

The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries shall be a division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and shall be headed by and be under the direction, supervision and control of the Director of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. He shall …

Before entering upon the discharge of his duties, the Director of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries shall take the constitutional oath of office. He shall devote his full time to his official duties and shall hold no other lucrative position. History: (Acts 1939, …

Before entering upon the duties of his office, the Director of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries shall execute to the State of Alabama a bond, to be approved by the Governor, in an amount to be fixed by the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources, for t…

Wardens. The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources shall have power to appoint as many game and fish wardens as he or she shall deem necessary for the proper enforcement of the game and fish laws of the state. All game and fish wardens, before entering upon their dut…

Director with Respect to Game and Fish Wardens. (a) Game and fish wardens shall have power: (1) To enforce all laws of this state relating to birds, animals and fish; (2) To execute all warrants and search warrants for the violation of the game, fish and fur laws of the state; (3…

(a) There is hereby established an official annual state nongame wildlife print and/or stamp. (b) The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is hereby given the authority to contract with an artist of its choice for t…

The Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is hereby authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as shall be necessary to carry out the intent of this act. History: (Acts 1990, No. 90-256, p. 319, §8.)

Duties as to Game, Fish and Seafood Generally. (a) The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources may enforce and administer all laws providing for the preservation, protection, propagation, and development of wild birds, wild fur-bearing animals, game fish, saltwater fis…

of Rules and Regulations as to Game, Fish and Seafood; Publication and Distribution of Laws, Etc. The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources is authorized to make and promulgate such reasonable rules and regulations not in conflict with the provisions of the game and …

As used in this title, the term “seafoods” shall include and mean all oysters, saltwater fish, saltwater shrimp, diamond back terrapin, sea turtle, crabs and all other species of marine or saltwater animal life existing or living in the water within the territorial jurisdiction o…

There is hereby created within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources a division to be known as the Division of Marine Resources. The Division of Marine Resources shall have the personnel, duties, powers, functions and properties of the Department of Conservation an…

The Division of Marine Resources shall be headed by and be under the direction, supervision and control of an officer who shall be designated “Director of the Marine Resources Division.” The Director of the Marine Resources Division shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Conse…

Before entering upon the discharge of his duties, the Director of the Marine Resources Division shall take the constitutional oath of office. His salary shall be fixed by the State Personnel Board as it may deem appropriate or as otherwise fixed by law. He shall devote his full t…

Before entering upon the duties of his office, the Director of the Marine Resources Division shall execute to the State of Alabama a bond, to be approved by the Governor, in an amount to be fixed by the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources, for the faithful performa…

Illegally Taken, Etc. The employees of the Division of Marine Resources shall diligently enforce all laws and regulations of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources now existing or which may hereafter be enacted or promulgated for the protection, propagation, preserv…

Factories, Barrel Measures, Nets, Trawls, Etc. The Director of the Division of Marine Resources and other employees of said division are hereby constituted peace officers of the State of Alabama with full police power and jurisdiction to enforce all laws with reference to the sea…

There is hereby created and there shall be a fund which shall be known as the “Seafoods Fund.” This fund shall consist of: (1) All moneys received from all occupational and privilege licenses or taxes imposed by the state on any person, firm or corporation for engaging in any bus…

of Fund. Each officer or employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or other person charged with the duty of collecting any of the funds or moneys mentioned in Section 9-2-87 shall remit all such collections on the first day of each month directly to the Com…

The said Seafoods Fund hereby created shall be used and expended by the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources in furtherance of the preservation, protection, propagation and development of saltwater fish, shrimp, oysters and other shellfish and crustaceans and the de…

Duties as to State Parks, Etc., Generally. The Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources, acting through the Division of Parks, shall have the following powers and authorities: (1) To acquire in the name of the State of Alabama by purchase, lease, agreement, license, con…

of Members. There is hereby created and established a State Forestry Commission, hereinafter referred to as commission, which commission shall be composed of seven members to be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Two members shall be appointed fo…

There is hereby created a fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Alabama Forestry Commission Fund. All money derived by the commission shall be deposited to the credit of said fund. History: (Acts 1969, No. 764, p. 1354, §12.)

Automatic Appropriation; Ceiling on Amount; Expenditures; Replenishment; Governor’s Approval. (a) There is hereby established an Emergency Forest Fire, Insect and Disease Fund into which there is automatically appropriated two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) annually at…

(a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Rural Logging Efficiency Act of 2023. (b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The forest product manufacturing sector is a large contributor to the state’s economy. (2) In order to have a successful …

Purpose. The State Forester shall create the Rural and Community Fire Protection Advisory Committee to represent certified volunteer fire departments and to support the development and improvement of rural and community fire protection throughout the state. History: (Acts 1978, N…

Membership; Vacancies. (a) The Rural and Community Fire Protection Advisory Committee shall be composed of 13 members, all of whom must be volunteer firefighters, to be appointed as follows: (1) One member of the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs, who is an active chief of a vol…

Recommendations to State Forester. The advisory committee shall make recommendations to the State Forester regarding the development and improvement of rural and community fire protection throughout this state. The advisory committee shall also make recommendations to the Alabama…

Meetings; Quorum. The committee shall meet semiannually, with the members of the committee setting the date. The State Forester shall have the authority to call special meetings. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum. History: (Acts 1978, No. 515, p. 569, §4.)

Compensation and Expenses of Members. Members of the committee shall not be compensated for their services, but each shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses in the same manner and amount that state employees are reimbursed. Such expenses shall be paid out of Forest…

The State Forester is further authorized to establish a committee and call meetings of such committee to advise him on general forestry matters in Alabama. It shall consist of not more than 15 members. Section 9-3-15 shall apply in its entirety to this committee. History: (Acts 1…

(a) The term volunteer fire department shall apply to and be used to define an organized group of area residents who meet the following requirements for personnel, training, and equipment: (1) The group shall be organized and incorporated under the laws of the State of Alabama as…

Make Donations to Organizations Deemed Public in Nature. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that this section provides assistance to organized volunteer fire departments and organized search, air, and rescue squads including South Alabama Air Rescue, Incorporated, and other …

Squads. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words have the following meanings: (1) DEPARTMENT. A volunteer fire department certified by the State Forestry Commission and meeting the requirements of Section 9-3-17. (2) SQUAD. A volunteer rescue squad located in Ala…

(a) As used in this section, the term “fire control or fire rescue equipment” includes, but is not limited to, a motor vehicle, fire fighting tools, protective gear, breathing equipment, and other vehicles, supplies, and tools used in fire fighting or fire rescue. (b) Any person,…

Expenses of Members. The commission shall, upon its first meeting, which shall be called by the Governor within 60 days after appointment of the membership, elect from its membership a chairman and vice-chairman who shall serve for a period of one year. The vice- chairman shall a…

and Fees; Jurisdiction of Alabama Forestry Commission. (a) A local fire district may not assess any type of fees or dues upon forest land that is treated as timber land for ad valorem tax purposes. (b) The authority and responsibility for the control and coordination of fire prev…

Fund; Grant and Training Programs; Rulemaking Authority. (a) The Alabama Forestry Commission shall establish and administer the Rural and Community Fire Protection Development and Improvement grant program to aid volunteer fire departments in providing rural and community fire pr…

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the State Forester may sell and is responsible for the sale of any vehicles, equipment, and other personal property owned by the commission. These items shall be sold by the State Forester or his or her designee either at public auctio…

If any member of the commission fails to attend three successive meetings of the commission without good and valid cause or excuse or without a leave of absence from the chairman, his office shall be declared vacant by the commission, and the chairman shall notify the Governor of…

The functions and duties of the commission shall be as follows: (1) To protect, conserve and increase the timber and forest resources of this state and to administer all laws relating to timber and forestry and the protection, conservation and increase of such resources; (2) To m…

2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-402, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. It shall be the duty of the Alabama Forestry Commission to appoint with the advice and consent of the Governor a State Forester who shall serve as the executive secretary and administrative o…