Title FGC — California Fish & Game Code

This chapter is known and may be cited as the Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The preservation, protection and restoration of wildlife within the State is an inseparable part of providing adequate recreation for our people in the interest of public welfare; and it is the policy of the State to acquire and restore to the highest possible level, and maintain…

(a) There is in the department the Wildlife Conservation Board, hereafter referred to as the board. The board consists of the president of the commission, the director, the Director of Finance, and four public members appointed pursuant to subdivision (b). (b) (1) The Speaker of …

The chairman of the board shall be elected by the members of the board. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The members of the board shall receive their actual and necessary traveling expenses, which shall be paid from the Wildlife Restoration Fund. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

Three Members of the Senate, appointed by the Committee on Rules thereof, and three Members of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker thereof, shall meet with the board and participate in its activities to the extent that such participation is not incompatible with their respecti…

For the purposes of this chapter, the Members of the Legislature shall constitute an interim investigating committee on the subject of this chapter and as such shall have the powers and duties imposed upon such a committee by the Joint Rules of the Senate and the Assembly. (Enact…

(a) The board shall investigate, study, and determine what areas within the state are most essential and suitable for wildlife production and preservation, and will provide suitable recreation; and shall ascertain and determine what lands within the state are suitable for game pr…

The board shall also ascertain what lands are suitable for providing cover for the propagation and rearing in a wild state of waterfowl, shore birds, and upland birds, and the possibilities of acquiring easements on such lands to provide such cover. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 4…

As a result of the studies, the board shall determine what areas, lands, or rights in lands or waters should be acquired by the state in order to effectuate a coordinated and balanced program resulting in the maximum restoration of wildlife in the state and in the maximum recreat…

(a) The board shall authorize the acquisition of real property, rights in real property, water, or water rights as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The board may authorize acquisition by the department, but the department shall not acquire any property …

Before the board authorizes the purchase of any land, or any interest therein, the board shall notify all owners of record of adjacent parcels of land of the intent of the board to purchase the land. The notice to the adjacent owners of land and the public notice shall include an…

When the board acquires real property, other than by eminent domain, the purchase price for the real property shall not exceed the fair market value of the property, as defined in Section 1263.320 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The fair market value shall be set forth in an appr…

(a) No governmental entity may condemn any wildlife conservation easement acquired by a state agency, except as provided in subdivision (b). As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Public use” as used in Article 6 (commencing with Section 12…

No farm lands may be acquired under the provisions of this chapter by proceedings in eminent domain except by specific authorization of the Legislature, notwithstanding any provision of Section 1348. Nothing in this section shall apply to any proceedings to acquire farm lands whe…

(a) (1) The department shall, when authorized by the board, construct in accordance with law those facilities as are suitable for the purpose for which the real property or rights in real property or water, or water rights, were acquired. Each completed project shall be managed a…

Each recreational area shall be so managed and controlled that the public shall have access to and use of the area for all recreational purposes. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

(a) The money in the Wildlife Restoration Fund, as provided for by former Section 19632 of the Business and Professions Code, as that section read on January 1, 2024, is available for expenditure under this chapter. (b) All federal moneys made available for projects authorized by…

(a) The San Francisco Baylands Restoration Program Account is hereby established within the Wildlife Restoration Fund, as provided for by former Section 19632 of the Business and Professions Code, as that section read on January 1, 2024, for the purpose of acquiring and restoring…

The board may purchase such boats, aircraft, or equipment as it deems necessary for the use of the department for the improvement and protection of marine fisheries. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The board may authorize the acquisition of such lands or rights in land as may be necessary for the purpose of furnishing public access to lands or waters open to the public for fishing, hunting and shooting. The board may authorize such acquisition by the department.

The net proceeds of the sale or other disposition of real property used as a fish hatchery that has been acquired by or is under the jurisdiction of the board or the department, either in easement or in fee, shall be deposited in the Wildlife Restoration Fund or the Fish and Game…

The board, when it prioritizes the use of available funds for proposed acquisitions, with regard to the priority of a proposal to acquire forestland, may consider and take into account the potential of that proposed acquisition to beneficially reduce or sequester greenhouse gas e…

This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Oak Woodlands Conservation Act.

For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Board” means the Wildlife Conservation Board established pursuant to Section 1320. (b) “Conservation easement” means a conservation easement, as defined in Section 815.1 of the Civil Code. (c) “Fu…

It is the intent of the Legislature that this article accomplish all of the following: (a) Support and encourage voluntary, long-term private stewardship and conservation of California’s oak woodlands by offering landowners financial incentives to protect and promote biologically…

(a) The Oak Woodlands Conservation Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. The fund shall be administered by the board. Moneys in the fund may be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of this article. (b) Money may be deposited into the fund from…

Moneys in the fund shall be available to local government entities, park and open-space districts, resource conservation districts, private landowners, and nonprofit organizations for the purposes set forth in subdivision (d) of Section 1363.

The board shall develop and adopt guidelines and criteria for awarding grants that achieve the greatest lasting conservation of oak woodlands. The board shall develop these guidelines in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Food and …

(a) To qualify for a grant pursuant to this article, the county or city in which the grant money would be spent shall prepare, or demonstrate that it has already prepared, an oak woodlands management plan that includes a description of all native oak species located within the co…

On or before April 1, 2002, the board and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection shall develop a memorandum of understanding regarding the protection of oak woodlands that does all of the following: (a) If necessary, creates a specific process for working together to use …

The board may not approve a grant to a local government entity, park and open-space district, resource conservation district, or nonprofit organization if the entity requesting the grant has acquired, or proposes to acquire, an oak woodlands conservation easement through the use …

A city or county planning department may utilize a grant awarded for the purposes of this article to consult with a citizen advisory committee and appropriate natural resource specialists in order to report publicly to the city council or the board of supervisors on the status of…

No money may be expended from the fund to adopt guidelines or to administer the fund until at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) is deposited in the fund.

Nothing in this article grants any new authority to the board or any other agency, office, or department to affect local policy or land use decisionmaking.

(a) The Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Rescue Program is hereby established and shall be administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board. (b) The purpose of the program is to recover and sustain populations of monarch butterflies and other pollinators. (c) To achieve the purpos…

(a) The Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Rescue Fund Account is hereby created in the State Treasury. The account shall be administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board. Moneys in the account may be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of this artic…

The board may act either independently or may cooperate with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Interior, or any other federal agency in determining any of the questions referred to in this chapter, or in the acquisition and construction of any of the proj…

This article applies to all dead wild birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. This article also applies to live mollusks and crustaceans that are transported for purposes other than placement in the waters of this state. This article does not apply to animals imported for…

It is unlawful for a common carrier or his or her agent to transport for, or to receive for transportation from, any one person, during any interval of time, more than the bag limit of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians that may legally be taken and possessed by that p…

It is unlawful for any person to offer for transportation by common carrier during any interval of time more than the bag limit of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians that may legally be taken and possessed by that person during that interval.

(a) The outside of a package offered to or received by a common carrier or the carrier’s agent for transportation, or transported by a common carrier or agent, that contains a bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian, shall clearly and conspicuously indicate the following: (1) T…

No bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian, except smoked, cured, or dried fish other than trout, may be shipped by parcel post.

It is unlawful to transport or carry a deer or game bird out of this state, except by the holder of a nonresident hunting license or under a written permit issued by the department.

Except as permitted by this code, it is unlawful for any common carrier to transport any protected nongame bird, or to transport any resident or migratory game bird for which there is no open season.

(a) Birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians shall not be imported or possessed in this state unless all of the following requirements are met: (1) The animals were legally taken and legally possessed outside of this state. (2) This code and regulations adopted pursuant ther…

Marlin meat may not be transported out of this State. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

Deer may be transported into this State only when in accordance with the law of the state in which the deer was taken, and when in accordance with the law of this State and the regulations of the commission adopted pursuant thereto. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

(a) It is unlawful to offer for shipment, ship, receive for shipment, or transport from this state, any trout taken in the waters of this state, except as provided in subdivision (b): (b) The following persons may personally transport from this state not more than one daily bag l…

It is unlawful to ship trout into an area where the season is closed unless the shipment is accompanied by a written statement containing the name and address of, and signed by, the person taking the trout, and countersigned, for the purpose of identification, by the agent of the…