Section 7149.9 Of Article 3. Sport Fishing Licenses From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 6. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 3.
7149.9
. (a) Fees received by the department pursuant to Section
7149.8 shall be deposited in the Abalone Restoration and Preservation
Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, which is hereby
created. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the
moneys in the account are continuously appropriated, without regard
to fiscal year, to the department to be used only for the
Recreational Abalone Management Program. For the purposes of this
article, "program" means the Recreational Abalone Management Program.
The program shall include the following:
(1) Research and management of abalone and abalone habitat. For
the purposes of this section, "research" includes, but is not limited
to, investigation, experimentation, monitoring, and analysis; and
"management" means establishing and maintaining an optimal
sustainable utilization.
(2) Supplementary funding of allocations for the enforcement of
statutes and regulations applicable to abalone, including, but not
limited to, the acquisition of special equipment and the production
and dissemination of printed materials, such as pamphlets, booklets,
and posters, aimed at compliance with recreational abalone
regulations.
(3) Direction for volunteer groups relating to abalone and abalone
habitat management, presentations of abalone related matters at
scientific conferences and educational institutions, and publication
of abalone related material.
(b) At least 15 percent of the funds deposited in the account
shall be used for program activities south of San Francisco. To the
extent possible, participants in the management activities of the
program in that area shall be former commercial abalone divers.
(c) The department shall maintain internal accounts that ensure
that the fees received pursuant to Section 7149.8 are disbursed for
the purposes of subdivision (a). Not more than 20 percent of the fees
received pursuant to Section 7149.8 shall be used for administration
by the department.
(d) Unencumbered fees collected pursuant to Section 7149.8 during
any previous calendar year may be expended for the purposes of
subdivisions (a) and (b). All interest and other earnings on the fees
received pursuant to Section 7149.8 shall be deposited in the
account and shall be used for the purposes of subdivisions (a) and
(b).