Article 19. Marine Aquaria Pets of California Fish And Game Code >> Division 6. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 19.

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 not include activities connected with collecting, holding, selling, or displaying live aquatic marine life by, or for, scientific institutions exempted from permits pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 2150.
  (b) "Drop net" means a small, circular net with weights attached along the perimeter and with a single float attached at the center. A drop net is not more than 48 inches in its greatest diameter.

(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 person aboard the boat shall have a valid marine aquaria collector permit.
  (b) Except as provided in Section 8598.2, and unless otherwise prohibited in this code, or regulations made pursuant thereto, specimens of the following groups or species may be taken, possessed aboard a boat, or landed under a marine aquaria collector's permit:
  (1) Marine plants:
  (A) Chlorophyta.
  (B) Phaeophyta.
  (C) Rhodophyta.
  (D) Spermatophyta, all species.
  (2) Invertebrates:
  (A) Polychaeta--worms; all species.
  (B) Crustacea--shrimp, crabs; all species, except the following:
  (i) Dungeness crab--Cancer magister.
  (ii) Yellow crab--Cancer anthonyi.
  (iii) Red crab--Cancer productus.
  (iv) Sheep crab--Loxorhynchus grandis.
  (v) Spot prawn--Pandalus platyceros.
  (vi) Ridgeback prawn--Sicyonia ingentis.
  (vii) Golden prawn--Penaeus californiensis.
  (viii) Sand crab--Emerita analoga.
  (ix) Redrock shrimp--Lysmata californica.
  (x) Bay shrimp--Crangon sp. and Palaemon macrodactylus.
  (xi) Ghost shrimp--Callianassa sp.
  (C) Asteroidea--Sea stars; all species.
  (D) Ophiuroidea--Brittle stars; all species.
  (E) Gastropoda--snails, limpets, sea slugs; all species, except Kellet's whelk--Kelletia kelleti.
  (F) Bivalvia--clams and mussels; all species.
  (G) Polyplacophora--Chitons; all species.
  (H) Cephalopoda--Octopuses and squids; all species, except two spot octopuses--Octopus bimaculatus and Octopus maculoides--and market squid--Loligo opalescens.
  (I) Tunicata--Sea squirts; all species.
  (3) Vertebrates:
  (A) Osteichthyes--Finfishes; all species, except the following:
  (i) Rockfish--Sebastes sp. larger than six inches total length.
  (ii) Sheephead--Semicossyphus pulcher larger than six inches total length.
  (iii) Anchovy--Engraulis mordax.
  (iv) Sardine--Sardinops sagax.
  (v) Pacific/chub mackerel--Scomber japonicus.
  (vi) Jack mackerel--Trachurus symmetricus.
  (vii) Queenfish--Seriphus politus.
  (viii) White Croaker--Genyonemus lineatus.
  (ix) Top smelt--Atherinops affinis.
  (x) Grunion--Leuresthes tenuis.
  (xi) Shiner surf perch--Cymatogaster aggregata.
  (xii) Longjawed mudsucker--Gillichthys mirabilis.
  (B) Chondrichthyes--sharks, rays, and skates; all species less than 18 inches total length, except that leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) shall be 36 inches or larger in total length.
  (c) The holder of a permit issued pursuant to this section is not required to obtain or possess a kelp harvester's license issued pursuant to Section 6651, a tidal invertebrate permit issued pursuant to Section 8500, or a general trap permit issued pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 9000) of Chapter 4, when taking, possessing, or landing live organisms for marine aquaria pet trade purposes pursuant to subdivision (b), subject to regulations governing the taking of tidal invertebrates. The commission shall adopt regulations to implement this subdivision, and, for that purpose, may incorporate other regulations by reference.

(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 operation is prima facie evidence that it was taken, possessed, or landed for commercial purposes:
  (1) Invertebrates:
  (A) Phylum Porifera--all sponges.
  (B) Genus Pelagia sp.--jellyfish.
  (C) Coelenterata--corals, anemones; all species.
  (D) Order Gorgonacea--all gorgonians.
  (E) Order Pennatulacea--all species, except Renilla kollikeri.
  (F) Feather-duster worm--Eudistylia polymorpha.
  (G) Fiddler crab--Uca crenulata.
  (H) Umbrella crab--Cryptolithodes sitchensis.
  (I) Stalked or goose barnacles--Pollicipes sp.
  (J) Giant acorn barnacle--Balanus nubilus or B. aguila.
  (K) Owl limpet--Lottia gigantea.
  (L) Coffee bean shells--Trivia sp.
  (M) Three-winged murex--Pteropurpura trialata.
  (N) Vidler's simnia--Simnia vidleri.
  (O) Queen tegula--Tegula regina.
  (P) Opisthobranchia (including nudibranchs)--all subclass Opisthobranchia species except:
  (i) Sea hares--Aplysia californica and Aplysia vaccaria.
  (ii) Hermissenda crassicornis.
  (iii) Lion's mouth--Melibe leonina.
  (iv) Aeolidia papillosa.
  (v) Spanish shawl--Flabellina iodinea.
  (2) Vertebrates:
  (A) All shark and ray eggcases.
  (B) Brown smoothhound sharks--Mustelus hinlei--that are less than 18 inches in a whole condition or dressed with head and tail removed.
  (C) Family Agonidae--all poachers.
  (D) Wolf-eel--Anarrhichthys ocellatus.
  (E) Juvenile sheephead--Semicossyphus pulcher (under six inches).
  (F) Garibaldi--Hypsypops rubicundus.
  (3) Live rocks.
  (A) Rocks with living organisms attached, commonly called "live rocks," shall not be taken or possessed except as provided in subparagraph (C).
  (B) Rocks shall not be broken to take marine aquaria species, and any rock displaced to access any of those species shall be returned to its original position.
  (C) Rocks cultured under the authority of an aquaculture registration may be possessed.
  (b) No organisms may be taken, possessed, or landed for marine aquaria pet trade purposes under the terms of a marine aquaria collector's permit in any of the following areas:
  (1) On the north side of Santa Catalina Island from a line extending three nautical miles 90 degrees true from Church Rock to a line extending three nautical miles 270 degrees true from the extreme west end of the island.
  (2) On the south or "back" side of Santa Catalina Island from a line extending three nautical miles 90 degrees true from Church Rock to a line extending three nautical miles 270 degrees true from the extreme west end of the island.
  (3) Marine life refuges, marine reserves, ecological reserves, and state reserves.

(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 or possessed by any person taking or possessing fish, plants, or other marine organisms for the marine aquaria industry. For the purposes of this section, chemicals commonly used aboard vessels for insect and rodent control may be possessed if no means of delivering those chemicals, including, but not limited to, squirt bottles, used to target those marine organisms is possessed.
  (c) Appliances shall be used so that rocks or other mineral matter, aquatic plants, fish, or other aquatic life not listed in subdivision (b) of Section 8597 are not removed from the bottom or otherwise disturbed.

(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 authority of a scientific collector's permit issued pursuant to Section 1002, 5515, or 10660 on the same fishing trip.
  (c) The commission shall adjust the amount of the fees specified in subdivision (a) as necessary, to fully recover, but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and the commission relating to those licenses.

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 listed in subdivision (a) of Section 8597 or the environment in which those organisms are located. The director shall reopen a fishery or any fishing areas previously closed pursuant to this section if the director determines that the conditions which necessitated the closure no longer exist.

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).