Title FGC — California Fish & Game Code

Except in accordance with the regulations of the commission, it is unlawful to enter upon any wildlife management areas or public shooting grounds established under the provisions of this article, or to take therein any bird or the nest or eggs thereof, or any mammal. The taking …

In establishing the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (“SHARE”) program, it is the intent of the Legislature to encourage private landowners to voluntarily make their land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreational activities. The Legislature f…

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “Agreement” includes, but is not limited to, a contract, license, easement, memorandum of understanding, or lease. (b) “Partnership” means a collaborative effort involving financial or in-kind contributions by non…

(a) There is hereby established the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) program. The department, in partnership with nonprofit conservation groups and other interested nongovernmental organizations that seek to increase and enhance wildlife-dependent recr…

(a) (1) The department may enter into a voluntary agreement with a private landowner, including an agreement under which the private landowner is compensated by the department for public use of the land, to provide public access for wildlife-dependent recreational activities. Any…

(a) The department may revoke, for up to three years, the public access privilege granted pursuant to this article, of any person who violates any provision of this code or regulation adopted pursuant to this code while on any property that is subject to an agreement under the pr…

To provide added protection for landowners from the depredation of trespassers and to provide additional hunting opportunities to public hunters and private landowners, the department may contract with landowners for the establishment of cooperative hunting areas according to ter…

The Legislature hereby declares that the policy of the state is to protect threatened or endangered native plants, wildlife, or aquatic organisms or specialized habitat types, both terrestrial and nonmarine aquatic, or large heterogeneous natural gene pools for the future use of …

Any property acquired in fee for ecological reserves shall be acquired in the name of the state, and shall, at all times, be subject to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed from time to time by the commission for the occupation, use, operation, protection, and administ…

The department shall do all things necessary to secure a valid title in the state to the property acquired in fee for ecological reserves but no payment shall be made therefor until the title is vested in and satisfactory to the state. No such land will be acquired by eminent dom…

Except in accordance with the regulations of the commission it is unlawful to enter upon any ecological reserves established under the provisions of this article, or to take therein any bird or the nest or eggs thereof, or any mammal, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, amphibia, reptil…

As used in this article, “ecological reserve” means land or land and water areas that are designated as an ecological reserve by the commission pursuant to Section 1580 and that are to be preserved in a natural condition, or which are to be provided some level of protection as de…

Notwithstanding Section 1580, which sets forth the primary purposes of ecological reserves, the department may construct facilities and conduct programs in ecological reserves it selects to provide natural history education and recreation if those facilities and programs are comp…

The Mirage Trail within the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve shall be open nine months of the year during the months of May to January, inclusive, and closed for three months during the months of February to April, inclusive, to recreational hiking if the commission determines …

(a) The “Eden Landing Ecological Reserve,” as specified in paragraph (52) of subdivision (b) of Section 630 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as that section read on January 1, 2022, is hereby renamed the “Congressman Pete Stark Ecological Reserve at Eden Landing…

The commission may designate, delete, or modify state marine recreational management areas established by the commission for hunting purposes, state marine reserves, and state marine conservation areas, as delineated in subdivision (a) of Section 36725 of the Public Resources Cod…

(a) The Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 36600) of Division 27 of the Public Resources Code) establishes a uniform classification system for state marine managed areas and is incorporated herein by reference. Any proposals for marine protec…

It is unlawful to place, plant, or cause to be placed or planted, in any of the waters of this State, any live fish, any fresh or salt water animal, or any aquatic plant, whether taken without or within the State, without first submitting it for inspection to, and securing the wr…

In addition to Section 6400, it is unlawful to transport or possess any live white bass (Marone chrysops), whether taken within or without the state, unless it is first submitted for inspection to, and written permission is obtained from, the department.

Any person may, under the terms of a permit first obtained from the department, under regulations the commission may prescribe, purchase or receive live fish from any registered aquaculturist, and may stock the fish in a stream or a lake.

The department may plant fish in streams passing through, or in lakes on, land on which is located a youth camp for underprivileged children.

This chapter does not apply to activities governed by Division 12 (commencing with Section 15000).

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to make the Annual Provisional Stocking Document available to the public, recognizing that this document expresses the department’s intended plans for fish plants and that the department’s execution of these plans is not guaranteed. (b) The…

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Declines in various southern California marine species of fish have adversely affected the sport and commercial fishing industry. (b) Efforts to enhance these species through the placement of artificial reefs need to be…

For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meaning: (a) “Artificial reef” means manmade or natural objects intentionally placed in selected areas of the marine environment to duplicate those conditions that induce production of fish and invertebrates on …

The department shall administer the California Artificial Reef Program.

The program shall include all of the following: (a) The placement of artificial reefs in state waters. (b) A study of existing successful reefs and all new reefs placed by the program to determine the design criteria needed to construct artificial reefs capable of increasing fish…

The amount allocated for the administration of the program in any fiscal year may not exceed the amount authorized by applicable state and federal policy guidelines.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that not more than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) shall be allocated to the program for the 1985–86 fiscal year. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that future sources of funding for the program may include, but are not limit…

The Legislature finds and declares that triploid grass carp have the potential to control aquatic nuisance plants in non-public waters allowing for reduced chemical control but that the threat that grass carp pose to aquatic habitat may outweigh its benefits. It is the intent of …

The department shall adopt regulations that provide for the control of aquatic plant pests using artificially introduced triploid grass carp under a permit issued by the department. The regulations shall do all of the following: (a) Restrict triploid grass carp introductions to t…

All providers of triploid grass carp for use under this article shall provide certification acceptable to the department of triploidy and disease-free conditions for all fish introduced.

Prior to receiving a permit from the department to use triploid grass carp, the potential user shall provide to the department all of the information required by the department, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) The type of waterway to be stocked. (b) The site has…

(a) On or before March 1 of each year following the first year after triploid grass carp introduction, the permittee shall provide to the department all of the information required by the department, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The number and size of triploi…

The department shall establish permit and inspection fees sufficient to recover, but not exceed, the initial and ongoing costs of the program under this article.

The department shall impose conditions in the permit to use triploid grass carp under this article that it finds necessary to prevent escape of the triploid grass carp from the targeted area. The conditions shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) No permit shall…

Nothing in this article shall be construed as restricting grass carp programs approved by the department on or before June 1, 1995.

Because of its experience and continuing involvement with hydrilla control programs, the implementation of Sections 6450 and 6454 shall be carried out in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture.

If the department obtains documented and verifiable evidence of escapements of triploid grass carp permitted under this article into unauthorized waters, the unauthorized use of grass carp, or threats to fish and wildlife and their habitats as the result of this program, it may, …

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Substantial declines in various species of desirable fish that are caught in southern California ocean waters have adversely affected sport and commercial fishing and their related industries. (b) The purpose of this ar…

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “Advisory panel” means the Ocean Resources Enhancement Advisory Panel established pursuant to Section 6594. (b) “Committee” means the independent scientific advisory committee established pursuant to Section 6594.…

There is hereby established in state government the California Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery Program. The purpose of the program is to advance research on the artificial propagation, rearing, stocking, and distribution of marine fish species that are important to sport…

(a) The program is administered by the director with the advice of the advisory panel and the committee. (b) A person shall not serve on the advisory panel or the committee if that person is receiving research funding from the program. (c) The director may appoint, with the advic…

(a) To advise the director in establishing policy and direction for the program, the director shall establish the Ocean Resources Enhancement Advisory Panel. (b) The advisory panel shall consist of the following members, all of whom shall be residents of California: (1) One nonvo…

(a) In order to foster a transparent and collaborative approach between the public, the advisory panel, and the director, and to advise the director and the advisory panel regarding the program, the director shall establish an independent scientific advisory committee. (b) The co…

The director shall convene an annual public meeting where the committee shall present information regarding its evaluation of aspects of program science it completed during the preceding year and an outlook for future program activities. At the meeting, the director shall provide…

(a) The director shall consider the findings and results of the evaluation of the program conducted by California Sea Grant submitted to the department on December 12, 2017, in the report “Evaluation of the Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery Program,” Publication no. CASG-1…

(a) All fees collected by the department pursuant to this article, and any interest earned on those fees, shall be deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, solely for purposes of the program. The department sh…

(a) In addition to a valid California sport fishing license and any other applicable license validation issued pursuant to this code, a person taking fish from ocean waters south of a line extending due west from Point Arguello for purposes other than for profit shall have a vali…

The director shall provide for the solicitation of input from every person who pays a fee pursuant to Section 6596.1 on the direction of the program. The director may contract with a public or private entity to undertake this solicitation.