Section 2014 Of Chapter 1. Taking And Possessing In General From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 1.
2014
. (a) It is the policy of this state to conserve its natural
resources and to prevent the willful or negligent destruction of
birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibia.
The state may recover damages in a civil action against any person
or local agency which unlawfully or negligently takes or destroys
any bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian protected by the laws
of this state.
(b) The measure of damages is the amount which will compensate for
all the detriment proximately caused by the destruction of the
birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibia.
(c) An action to recover damages under this section shall be
brought in the name of the people of the state, in a court of
competent jurisdiction in the county in which the cause of action
arose. The State Water Resources Control Board shall be notified of,
and may join in, any action brought under this section when the
activities alleged to have caused the destruction of any bird,
mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian may involve either the unlawful
discharge of pollutants into the waters of the state or other
violation of Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water
Code.
(d) This section does not apply to persons or local agencies
engaged in agricultural pest control, to the destruction of fish in
irrigation canals or works or irrigation drainages, or to the
destruction of birds or mammals killed while damaging crops as
provided by law.
(e) No damages may be recovered against a local agency pursuant to
this section if civil penalties are assessed against the local
agency for the same detriment pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with
Section 13000) of the Water Code.
(f) Any recovery or settlement of money damages, including, but
not limited to, civil penalties, arising out of any civil action
filed and maintained by the Attorney General in the enforcement of
this section shall be deposited by the department in the subaccounts
of the Fish and Wildlife Pollution Account in the Fish and Game
Preservation Fund as specified in Section 13011.
(g) For purposes of this section, "local agency" includes any
city, county, city and county, district, public authority, or other
political subdivision.