Title FGC — California Fish & Game Code

From Point Conception south to the Mexican border, prawns or shrimp may be taken with prawn or shrimp traps only in waters 50 fathoms or greater in depth.

(a) Prawns or shrimp may be taken for commercial purposes with a trawl net, subject to Article 10 (commencing with Section 8830) of Chapter 3, or in either a prawn trap or a shrimp trap, subject to Article 1 (commencing with Section 9000) of Chapter 4. (b) No other species shall …

The following definitions govern the construction of this article: (a) “Marine aquaria pet trade” means any activities connected with collecting, holding, selling, and displaying live aquatic marine life for pet, hobby, curio, or display purposes. “Marine aquaria pet trade” does …

(a) It is unlawful for any person to take, possess aboard a boat, or land for marine aquaria pet trade purposes any live organisms identified in subdivision (b), unless that person has a valid marine aquaria collector’s permit that has not been suspended or revoked. At least one …

(a) Notwithstanding Section 8140 or subdivision (b) of Section 8597, specimens of the following groups or species shall not be taken, possessed aboard a boat, or landed for commercial purposes. Taking, possessing, or landing of any of the following species in a commercial operati…

(a) Marine organisms identified in subdivision (a) of Section 8597 shall not be taken except by the following methods: (1) Hook and line. (2) Drop net. (3) Dip Net. (4) Trap. (5) Hand. (6) Slurp gun. (7) Spatula. (b) Chemical anesthetics, poisons, or irritants shall not be used o…

(a) The fee for a marine aquaria collector’s permit shall be three hundred thirty dollars ($330). (b) A person engaged in taking, possessing, or landing marine species under a marine aquaria collector’s permit shall not take, possess aboard a boat, or land any species under the a…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the director may close any portion of the fishery established under this article or any area in which this fishery is conducted, if, upon written finding, the director determines the action is necessary to protect any organisms li…

Notwithstanding Section 12000, a violation of this article or any regulation adopted thereunder is punishable by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(a) It is unlawful to take any white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) for commercial purposes, except under permits issued pursuant to Section 1002 for scientific or educational purposes or pursuant to subdivision (b) for scientific or live display purposes. (b) Notwithstanding sub…

The department shall cooperate, to the extent that it determines feasible, with appropriate scientific institutions to facilitate data collection on white sharks taken incidentally by commercial fishing operations.

The commission may adopt regulations to manage basking sharks. A basking shark may not be taken commercially unless the commission adopts regulations for that activity and the taking is in accordance with those regulations.

The department may offer for sale a fish and game warden stamp to be designed and produced as the department may determine. The fish and game warden stamp may be purchased on a voluntary basis from the department or a licensed agent authorized pursuant to Section 1055.1 for a don…

The board of supervisors of each county may, in its discretion, appoint a suitable person to serve for a period of two years from the date of his appointment as fish and game warden of the county. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The board of supervisors shall fix the salary to be paid and the expenses to be allowed the county fish and game warden, which salary and expenses shall be paid from the county treasury. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The board may by a majority vote of its members remove the warden at any time. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The county fish and game warden shall enforce the state laws relating to the protection of fish and game. The warden has the powers and authority conferred by law upon peace officers listed in Section 830.6 of the Penal Code.

The county fish and game warden shall report quarterly to the board of supervisors, giving a detailed statement of all arrests made, convictions had and fines collected, and a general statement in regard to the management of his office. A copy of such detailed statement shall, at…

The board of supervisors of each county may, in its discretion, appoint a deputy fish and game warden, to serve at the pleasure of the board. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The deputy shall have such powers, perform such duties, and receive such salary and be entitled to such expenses as the board may provide. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The salary and expenses of a deputy county fish and game warden shall be paid from the county treasury. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The department shall expend funds necessary for biological research and field investigation and for the collection and diffusion of statistics and information that pertain to the conservation, propagation, protection, and perpetuation of birds and their nests and eggs, and of mam…

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The commercial fishing industry of the North Coast has been greatly affected by decisions made by federal and state agencies concerning the health of the salmon resource and the consequent shortening or closing of t…

Nothing in this code or any other law shall prohibit the department from taking, for scientific, propagation, public health or safety, prevention or relief of suffering, or law enforcement purposes, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and the nests and eggs thereof, or an…

(a) The department may issue permits, subject to restrictions and regulations that the department determines are desirable, to take or possess, in any part of the state, for scientific, educational, or propagation purposes, mammals, birds and the nests and eggs thereof, fish, amp…

(a) The department may issue a permit pursuant to Section 1002 to an appropriate public, private, or nonprofit entity, or a person, as determined by the department, in the name of a principal scientific investigator or the permitted entity or person. (b) The department may approv…

Mammals, birds and their nests and eggs, fish and their eggs, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, or any other form of plant or animal life taken under the provisions of a scientific or propagation permit issued pursuant to Section 1002 may be shipped or transported anyw…

The department may capture and sell birds and mammals, at prices to be fixed by the commission, to persons engaged in the domestication and sale thereof in this State. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

For the purpose of exhibiting fish and game educational material at fairs or sportsmen’s shows and making other public displays, and to make conservation educational materials on fish and game available for any public use, including fairs, sportsmen’s shows, schools, and civic or…

Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code, the department may accept gifts of personal property if the donor is a county of the state and the gift is purchased with fine money derived from fish and game violations. The department shall notify the Department of Finance …

The department may inspect the following: (a) All boats, markets, stores and other buildings, except dwellings, and all receptacles, except the clothing actually worn by a person at the time of inspection, where birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibia may be stored, placed, o…

The department may import, propagate, and distribute birds, mammals, or fish. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The department shall investigate all diseases of, and problems relating to, birds, mammals, or fish, and establish and maintain laboratories to assist in such investigation. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

The department may obtain for the State rights of way over private lands for the purpose of furnishing access for the public to lands or waters open to public hunting or fishing whenever such rights of way are determined by the commission to be necessary for such public use. Such…

The department, by and with the approval of the Department of General Services, may sell grazing permits or otherwise dispose of excess vegetation or other products, produced on lands acquired by the department.

(a) The department may procure insurance for any of the following purposes: (1) For itself and landowners who agree to permit the department to use their land as cooperative hunting, fishing, conservation or recreational areas, against any liability resulting from the operation o…

The department may procure insurance for its employees for injury or death against the liability of the owner or operator of any vessel boarded by an employee as an observer.

In any lease, easement, or right-of-way entered into whereby the department leases real property or obtains a grant of easement or right-of-way in real property for the purpose of constructing, operating, or maintaining a fish screen, fish ladder, fishweir, or fishtrap, the depar…

If the Department of Parks and Recreation contracts with the federal government pursuant to Public Law 89-161 for the administration of recreation development or fish and wildlife enhancement facilities, as authorized by Section 5006.6 of the Public Resources Code, the Department…

Whenever the department is required, or provided an opportunity, to assess the adequacy of a project or to provide a detailed environmental impact statement or similar document pursuant to Public Law 91-190 or Section 21100, 21101, or 21102 of the Public Resources Code, or any ot…

(a) Whenever the department determines that an oil sump, as defined by Section 3780 of the Public Resources Code, is hazardous to wildlife, but does not constitute an immediate and grave danger to wildlife, the department shall forthwith notify the State Oil and Gas Supervisor of…

(a) It is the policy of the state to anticipate and resolve potential conflicts between the management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources and their habitat and private and public activities that may affect them. (b) Accordingly, the department may use su…

The director shall use the department’s resources, to the fullest extent feasible, to coordinate with the federal government to promote the preservation of species, including species listed as endangered species or threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act of 19…

(a) Subject to an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for that purpose, for parcels wholly within its jurisdiction acquired on or after January 1, 2002, the department shall prepare draft management plans for public review within 18 months of the recordation date. (b) (1) O…

(a) The department and the commission shall develop a strategic plan to implement proposals arising from any of the following: (1) The strategic vision developed and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to Section 12805.3 of the Government Code. (2) Any legislat…

(a) The department may take feasible actions to conserve monarch butterflies and the unique habitats they depend upon for successful migration. These actions may include, but are not limited to, habitat restoration on department lands, education programs, and voluntary agreements…

(a) The commission may authorize, for research, educational, limited testing, data collection, compensation fishing, conservation engineering, or exploratory fishing, or any combination of these purposes, an EFP to be issued by the department that authorizes commercial or recreat…

(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department may develop a pilot program to collect and compile information and data on wildlife-vehicle collisions to support wildlife conservation efforts conducted through regional conservation investment strategies approved pursuan…

(a) The department shall conduct a study to create a framework for cannabis site restoration projects with the goal of providing guidance for the cleanup, remediation, and restoration of environmental damage caused by cannabis cultivation, and shall complete the study by January …

(a) (1) (A) The department shall submit a report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2027, and each year thereafter, on illicit cannabis cultivation, including reconnaissance, eradication, reclamation, and restoration operations involving the department, and on the status …