Title FGC, California Fish & Game Code

(a) In Districts 16, 17, 18, and 19, round haul nets may be used, except that purse seines or ring nets may not be used in that portion of District 19 lying within three miles offshore from the line of the high-water mark along the coast of Orange County from sunrise Saturday to …

(a) In Districts 20A and 21, round haul nets may be used. (b) In District 20, round haul nets may be used, except (1) from sunrise Saturday to sunset Sunday, in the area from a line extending three nautical miles east magnetically from the extreme easterly end of Santa Catalina I…

Salmon, steelhead, striped bass, or shad may not be taken with round haul nets. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 132, Sec. 171. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2024.)

Notwithstanding Section 8661, and in addition to Sections 8754, 8755, and 8780, round haul nets may be used to take fish in those portions of Districts 19 and 20 that are closed to the use of round haul nets by Sections 8754 and 8755 and in Districts 19A and 19B, but only for use…

(a) As used in this chapter, the term “bait net” means a lampara or round haul type net, the mesh of which is constructed of twine not exceeding Standard No. 9 medium cotton seine twine or synthetic twine of equivalent size or strength. Notwithstanding Section 8757, except for dr…

The commission may, upon the recommendation of the department, adopt regulations governing the use of bait nets. (Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 483, Sec. 29. Effective January 1, 2000.)

As used in this chapter, a “beach net” is any net hauled from the water to the beach or shore, and includes beach seines and haul seines. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

In Districts 1, 2, and 3, beach nets may not be possessed on any boat. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

In Districts 8 and 9, beach nets may be used. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

In District 10, beach nets may be used, the meshes of which are at least 112 inches in length. In that portion of District 10 lying south of Pt. Lobos, beach nets not over 20 feet in length, the meshes of which are at least seven-eighths of an inch in length, may be used to take …

In District 11, beach nets may be used. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

In Districts 12 and 13, beach nets may not be possessed on any boat. (Amended by Stats. 1961, Ch. 312.)

In District 18, beach nets may not be used. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

In District 19, beach nets, the meshes of which are at least 112 inches in length, may be used to take smelt between September 1st and January 31st. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

“Trawl net” means a cone or funnel-shaped net which is towed or drawn through the water by a fishing vessel and includes any gear appurtenant to the net. Except as otherwise provided in this article, the use of trawl nets shall conform to federal groundfish regulations adopted pu…

It is unlawful for any person to use any trawl net with meshes which are less than 412 inches in length except as provided in this article or as provided by federal groundfish regulations adopted pursuant to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C., Sec. 18…

Trawl nets and Chinese shrimp nets may be used in marine and brackish waters inside of the Golden Gate Bridge to take shrimp, oriental gobies, longjaw mudsuckers, plainfin midshipmen, and staghorn sculpin only in accordance with regulations which the commission may prescribe. (Am…

(a) In Districts 4, 19, 19A, 20, 20A, and 21, trawl nets or dragnets may not be possessed. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (a) of this section, trawl nets and dragnets may be possessed, under such regulations as the commission shall prescribe, in Districts 4, 19…

It is unlawful to take or possess more than 500 pounds of crabs on any boat on which any type of trawl or drag net is carried or operated. (Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1300, Sec. 14.)

It is unlawful for any person to possess salmon on board, or to land salmon from, a vessel on which exists any type of trawl net, except that salmon taken incidentally with other species with a trawl net may be possessed and landed if authorized to be taken incidentally pursuant …

South of a line extending due west, true, from Point Reyes, it is unlawful for any person on a vessel on which any type of trawl or drag net is carried or operated to take or possess Dungeness crab, as defined in Section 8275, or to transfer Dungeness crab to another vessel. (Add…

In Districts 6, 7, and 10, trawl nets may be used in waters not less than three nautical miles from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

In Districts 17, 18, and 118.5, trawl nets may be used in waters not less than three nautical miles from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore, including those portions of Monterey Bay, Estero Bay, and San Luis Obispo Bay which lie within those districts. (Enacted by St…

It is unlawful to use or possess any trawl net that includes any bag or cod-end or modification thereof, other than a bag or cod-end of a single layer of webbing, except as authorized by Section 8496 or by the commission. (Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 483, Sec. 30. Effective Janua…

Chafing gear may be used or possessed but shall not be connected directly to the terminal, or closed, end of the cod-end. Except for chafing gear prescribed under federal groundfish regulations adopted pursuant to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C., S…

(a) The commission is hereby granted authority over all state-managed bottom trawl fisheries not managed under a federal fishery management plan pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1801 et seq.) or a state fishery management pl…

(a) Trawl nets of a design prescribed by the commission may be used or possessed to take shrimps or prawns under a permit issued by the department under regulations adopted by the commission. Sections 8831, 8833, 8835, and 8836 do not apply to trawl nets used or possessed under a…

It is unlawful to use any trawl net with cod-end mesh less than 712 inches in length and with a cod end less than 29 meshes long and a circumference of not less than 47 meshes in waters lying between one and three nautical miles from the mainland shore between a line running due …

Dip nets may be used subject to the following restrictions: (a) In Districts 1, 112, 2, 3, and 4, dip nets may not be baited, and may not measure more than six feet in greatest breadth. (b) In District 19, hand-held dip nets 30 feet or less in greatest breadth may be used. In tha…

Baited hoop nets not to exceed three feet in diameter may be used at any time in that portion of District 18 lying south of a line running east and west through Point Arguello and in District 19, to take rock crabs, red crabs, and yellow crabs only. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 4…

The Marine Resources Protection Act of 1990 (Art. X B, Cal. Const.) was adopted as an initiative constitutional amendment at the November 6, 1990, general election. This article codifies and implements that initiative constitutional amendment. (Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 94, Sec. …

It is unlawful for any person to take, possess, receive, transport, purchase, sell, barter, or process any fish obtained in violation of this article. (Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 94, Sec. 1.5. Effective January 1, 1993.)

To increase the state’s scientific and biological information on the ocean fisheries of this state, the department shall establish a program whereby it can monitor and evaluate the daily landings of fish by commercial fishermen who are permitted under this article to take these f…

The penalty for a violation of Section 8610.3 or 8610.4 is as specified in Section 12003.5. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 263, Sec. 23. Effective January 1, 2008.)

(a) Prior to January 1, 1994, the commission shall establish four new ecological reserves in ocean waters along the mainland coast. Each ecological reserve shall have a surface area of at least two square miles. The commission shall restrict the use of these ecological reserves t…

This article does not preempt or supersede any other closures to protect any other wildlife, including sea otters, whales, and shorebirds. (Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 94, Sec. 1.5. Effective January 1, 1993.)

If any provision of this article or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this article which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end th…

(a) “District” for the purposes of this article and of Article X B of the California Constitution means a fish and game district as defined in this code on January 1, 1990. (b) Except as specifically provided in this article, all references to sections, articles, chapters, parts,…

(a) From January 1, 1991, to December 31, 1993, inclusive, gill nets or trammel nets may only be used in the zone pursuant to a nontransferable permit issued by the department pursuant to Section 8610.5. (b) On and after January 1, 1994, gill nets and trammel nets shall not be us…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, gill nets and trammel nets may not be used to take any species of rockfish. (b) In ocean waters north of Point Arguello on and after November 7, 1990, the use of gill nets and trammel nets shall be regulated by Article 4 (commencing…

The department shall issue a permit to use a gill net or trammel net in the zone for the period specified in subdivision (a) of Section 8610.3 to any applicant who meets both of the following requirements: (a) Has a commercial fishing license issued pursuant to Sections 7850 to 7…

The department shall charge the following fees for permits issued pursuant to Section 8610.5 pursuant to the following schedule: Calendar Year Fee 1991 $ 250 1992 500 1993 1,000 (Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 94, Sec. 1.5. Effective January 1, 1993.)

(a) The commission may determine and fix the area or areas, the seasons and hours, the bag and possession limit, and the sex and total number of pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) that may be taken under regulations that the commission may adopt from time to time. Only a …

(a) The commission may determine and fix the area or areas, the seasons and hours, the bag and possession limit, and the number of elk that may be taken under rules and regulations that the commission may adopt from time to time. The commission may authorize the taking of tule el…

(a) The hatchery production and stocking of transgenic species of salmonids is prohibited. (b) As used in this section, “transgenic” has the same meaning as in Section 1.92 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as that section read on May 14, 2003. (Added by Stats. 2…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the provisions of this code are not applicable to California Indians whose names are inscribed upon the tribal rolls, while on the reservation of that tribe and under those circumstances in this state where the code was not applicab…