Title FGC — California Fish & Game Code

Except as provided in Section 2363, striped bass may be transported or carried out of or into this state only as follows: (a) A resident of California, or the holder of a valid nonresident California sportfishing license, lawfully taking striped bass from the Colorado River or fr…

Black bass and spotted bass lawfully taken may be carried or transported into and possessed in an area where the season is closed. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

It is unlawful to import into this state for commercial purposes any salmon of smaller size than can be legally taken under regulations of either the Pacific Fishery Management Council or the state of landing. Such prohibition does not apply to domestically reared salmon as defin…

Yellowtail, barracuda, and white seabass taken in waters lying south of the maritime boundary line between the United States and Mexico, with that maritime boundary line including, but not limited to, the federal Exclusive Economic Zone boundary, may be delivered to California po…

Striped bass, sturgeon, or shad legally taken in another state that permits the sale of that fish may be imported into this state under regulations of the commission. Before the commission adopts any regulation pursuant to this section, a public hearing shall be held in the San F…

Crab meat from outside the State may be imported into the State under regulations of the commission. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

Spiny lobsters may be imported into California until the twenty-sixth day after the close of the California season. Lobsters imported into California and lobsters legally taken in California during the open season prescribed in this code may be possessed and sold during the close…

No pismo clam taken in this State may be shipped. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

Pismo clams taken outside this state may be imported into this state when accompanied by a United States customhouse entry certificate showing their place of origin, and a certificate or clearance from the responsible governmental agency to the effect that such shipment was made …

Abalone or abalone meat legally taken outside this state may be imported into this state when accompanied by a United States customhouse entry certificate showing the place of origin, and a certificate or clearance from the responsible governmental agency to the effect that such …

(a) A common carrier may transport the carcass of a dead domesticated game bird or mammal tagged with a domesticated game breeder’s tag as provided in Article 1 (commencing with Section 3200) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 4. (b) A tag or label shall be affixed to every packa…

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3206, the carcasses or parts of domesticated game birds which have been raised outside of this State may be imported into this State, and transported, sold, or possessed in this State. Common carriers may receive and transport such carcas…

(a) As used in this section, “deer” includes any animal of the family Cervidae. (b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful to sell, purchase, or transport for the purpose of sale any deer meat in this state whether fresh, smoked, canned, or preserved by any …

Any person taking a deer shall retain possession of that portion of the deer’s head that in adult males normally bears the antlers, during the open season for that deer and for 15 days thereafter, and shall produce that portion of the head upon the demand of any officer authorize…

The skin or hide of any deer lawfully taken may be sold, purchased, tanned, or manufactured into articles for sale. Skins or hides of deer lawfully taken may be donated at any time to veterans’ organizations or veterans’ service committees for use by veterans for rehabilitation p…

(a) No person shall capture or destroy any deer and detach or remove from the carcass only the head, hide, antlers, or horns. (b) No person shall through carelessness or neglect leave any game mammal, exotic game mammal, or game bird that is in that person’s possession, or any of…

It is unlawful to take any deer without first procuring a deer tag or permit authorizing the taking of that deer.

The commission may determine the design and makeup of the deer tag and prescribe the procedures for issuance and use.

(a) Any resident of this state, 12 years of age or over, who possesses a valid hunting license, may procure one tag for the taking of one deer by one person during the current license year, upon payment of the base fee of ten dollars ($10) for the license year beginning July 1, 1…

Tags are valid only during that portion of the current hunting license year in which deer may be taken or possessed in any area.

(a) The commission shall annually direct the department to authorize, pursuant to Section 1054.8, the sale of not more than 10 deer tags for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects as set forth in Section 3953. All revenue from the sale of tags pursuant to this sec…

(a) The person to whom a deer tag has been issued shall carry the tag while hunting deer. Upon the killing of any deer, that person shall immediately fill out the tag completely, legibly, and permanently, and cut out or punch out and completely remove notches or punch holes for t…

(a) Any person who is convicted of a violation of any provision of this code, or of any rule, regulation, or order made or adopted under this code, relating to deer shall forfeit his or her deer tags, and no new deer tags shall be issued to that person during the then current lic…

Any person legally killing a deer in this state shall have the tag for that deer countersigned by a person employed by the department, a person designated for that purpose by the commission, a notary public, a postmaster, a peace officer, or an officer authorized to administer oa…

(a) In every area in which deer may lawfully be taken during the general open season there is an archery season for the taking of deer with bow and arrow. The season for each area shall be as the commission may prescribe, with a minimum interposing interval of three days immediat…

The provisions of this code relating to deer shall be applicable to the taking of deer with bow and arrow. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

(a) Except as expressly authorized in this article, no person shall use a trap to take any finfish, mollusk, or crustacean in the waters of this state for commercial purposes. (b) Traps may be used to take finfish in ocean waters only as authorized by this article. (c) Freshwater…

For the purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Bucket trap” means a plastic bucket of five gallons or less in capacity. (b) “Deeper nearshore species” means those finfish identified as deeper nearshore species in regulations adopted by the…

(a) Finfish, mollusks, or crustaceans shall not be taken by a person with traps for commercial purposes in ocean waters except under a valid general trap permit issued to that person that has not been suspended or revoked. (b) Any person who operates or assists in operating any t…

Hagfish may be taken under a general trap permit, if all of the following criteria are met: (a) Korean traps and bucket traps may be used to take only hagfish under this article. (b) No more than a total of 500 Korean traps or a total of 200 bucket traps may be possessed aboard a…

Finfish, other than sablefish and hagfish, may be taken under a general trap permit if all of the following criteria are also met: (a) Every person aboard the vessel possesses a valid general trap permit that has not been suspended or revoked. (b) If nearshore species are present…

Sablefish may be taken under a general trap permit in ocean waters between a line extending due west true from Point Arguello in Santa Barbara County and the United States-Mexico international boundary line, if all of the following criteria are also met: (a) The trap shall be six…

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), it is unlawful to willfully or recklessly disturb, move, or damage any trap that belongs to another person and that is marked with a buoy identification number pursuant to Section 9006. (b) A person, who has been issued a …

(a) Notwithstanding Section 9002, the department, in consultation with the Dungeness crab task force, shall establish a retrieval program to provide for the retrieval of lost or abandoned commercial Dungeness crab traps by June 30, 2019. (b) The retrieval program developed pursua…

Every trap shall have at least one destruction device which meets specifications approved by the department. In order to minimize the adverse effects on living marine resources, the specifications for destruction devices shall provide for a device that destructs rapidly enough to…

Every trap shall be raised, cleaned, serviced, and emptied at intervals, not to exceed 96 hours, weather conditions at sea permitting, and no trap shall be abandoned in the waters of this state.

Every trap or string of traps shall be marked with a buoy. The department shall implement regulations by January 1, 2020, requiring standardized gear marking for those fisheries in which the department determines it is appropriate. As part of the regulations, the department shall…

Every trap used to take finfish or crustaceans shall be marked with a buoy. Each buoy shall be marked to identify the operator as follows: (a) For a trap used to take lobster the commercial fishing license identification number followed by the letter “P.” (b) For a trap used to t…

Any trap used without a buoy, or with a buoy which is not marked pursuant to Section 9006, is a public nuisance and shall be removed from the waters of this state by any person authorized to enforce this code.

Any trap used in violation of this code, or any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, is a public nuisance and, except as provided in Section 9007, shall be seized pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 8630) of Chapter 3.

(a) Subject to Article 5 (commencing with Section 8250) of Chapter 2, spiny lobster may be taken with lobster traps under a lobster permit issued pursuant to Section 8254. (b) Notwithstanding Sections 8660 and 8665, lobster traps may be used in any area of the state not otherwise…

(a) (1) Subject to Article 6 (commencing with Section 8275) of Chapter 2, Dungeness crab, as defined in Section 8275, may be taken with Dungeness crab traps. (2) A Dungeness crab trap may have any number of openings of any size. However, every Dungeness crab trap shall have at le…

(a) No vessel may be used to take and land crab for both commercial and sport purposes in the same day. (b) In Districts 6, 7, 8, and 9, no trap shall be used to take Dungeness crab if that trap is attached to another trap or other traps by a common line.

(a) Subject to Article 18 (commencing with Section 8590) of Chapter 2, prawns or shrimp, as defined in Section 8590, may be taken with prawn traps or shrimp traps under a general trap permit issued pursuant to Section 9001. (b) A prawn trap or a shrimp trap shall be six feet or l…

(a) Subject to Section 8400, California killifish (Fundulus parvipinnis), mudsuckers (Gillichthys mirabilis), yellowfin gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus), shiner perch (Cymatogaster aggregata), and staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) may be taken with baitfish traps under a ge…

(a) Notwithstanding Section 9000, traps used to take fin fish may not be used in Districts 10, 11, and 12, except for bait fish traps as provided for in Sections 8400 and 9020. (b) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (a), all marine species of fin fish subject to Section …

(a) Traps may be used throughout the year to take carp in any district under the restrictions set forth in subdivision (b). (b) Traps shall not exceed six feet in greatest dimension. They shall be made of cotton or nylon twine. Meshes shall not be less than three and one-half inc…

Crayfish traps may be used at any time in any district to take crayfish only. Traps shall not exceed three feet in greatest dimension. Any other species taken with crayfish traps shall be returned to the water immediately. The commission may prohibit the use of crayfish traps whi…

The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the best interest of the people of the state and California’s marine resources and fisheries that the use of commercial hook and line fishing gear be regulated in a manner that assures the orderly development of the fisheries, main…

(a) Troll lines or handlines having not more than two hooks (plugs excepted) may be used in any district, and troll lines with more than two hooks may be used in Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 19A, and that portion of Fish and Game District 11 west of the G…