Article 1. Dead Wild Birds, Mammals, Fish, Reptiles, And Amphibia of California Fish And Game Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.

This article applies to all dead wild birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. This article also applies to live mollusks and crustaceans that are transported for purposes other than placement in the waters of this state. This article does not apply to animals imported for purposes of aquaculture under Division 12 (commencing with Section 15000).

It is unlawful for a common carrier or his or her agent to transport for, or to receive for transportation from, any one person, during any interval of time, more than the bag limit of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians that may legally be taken and possessed by that person during that interval.

It is unlawful for any person to offer for transportation by common carrier during any interval of time more than the bag limit of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians that may legally be taken and possessed by that person during that interval.

(a) The outside of a package offered to or received by a common carrier or the carrier's agent for transportation, or transported by a common carrier or agent, that contains a bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian, shall clearly and conspicuously indicate the following:
  (1) The name and address of the shipper.
  (2) The name and address of the consignee.
  (3) The number and kind of bird, mammal, fish, reptile, and amphibian contained in the package.
  (b) Licensed commercial fishermen and licensed commercial fish dealers are subject to all of the provisions of this section, except that commercial shipments of fish may be indicated by total net weight of each species instead of by numbers.

No bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian, except smoked, cured, or dried fish other than trout, may be shipped by parcel post.

It is unlawful to transport or carry a deer or game bird out of this state, except by the holder of a nonresident hunting license or under a written permit issued by the department.

Except as permitted by this code, it is unlawful for any common carrier to transport any protected nongame bird, or to transport any resident or migratory game bird for which there is no open season.

(a) Birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians shall not be imported or possessed in this state unless all of the following requirements are met:
  (1) The animals were legally taken and legally possessed outside of this state.
  (2) This code and regulations adopted pursuant thereto do not expressly prohibit their possession in this state.
  (3) A declaration is submitted to the department or a designated state or federal agency at or immediately before the time of entry, in the form and manner prescribed by the department.
  (b) Birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians legally taken and legally possessed outside of this state may be imported into this state and possessed without a declaration if the shipment is handled by a common carrier under a bill of lading or as supplies carried into this state by common carriers for use as food for the passengers.
  (c) The commission and the department shall not modify this section by any regulation that would prohibit the importation of lawfully killed migratory game birds taken in any other state or country and transported into this state pursuant to the migratory bird regulations adopted annually by the Secretary of the Interior.

Marlin meat may not be transported out of this State.

Deer may be transported into this State only when in accordance with the law of the state in which the deer was taken, and when in accordance with the law of this State and the regulations of the commission adopted pursuant thereto.

It is unlawful at any time to offer for shipment, ship, or receive for shipment, or transport from this state any trout taken in the waters of this state, except that the holder of a nonresident angling license, or any person on active military duty with the armed forces of the United States or on active military duty with an auxiliary branch thereof who possesses a valid angling license, may personally transport from this state not more than one daily bag limit of trout.

It is unlawful to ship trout into an area where the season is closed unless the shipment is accompanied by a written statement containing the name and address of, and signed by, the person taking the trout, and countersigned, for the purpose of identification, by the agent of the carrier to whom the trout are offered for shipment.

Except as provided in Section 2363, no striped bass may be transported or carried out of or into this state, except striped bass taken from the Colorado River by sportfishing licensees to the extent and in the manner following:
  (a) A resident of California, or the holder of a valid nonresident California sportfishing license, lawfully taking such fish on the waters or from the Arizona shore of the river may transport or carry such fish into California.
  (b) A resident of Arizona, or the holder of a valid nonresident Arizona sportfishing license, lawfully taking such fish on the waters or from the California shore of the river may transport or carry such fish into Arizona.

Black bass and spotted bass lawfully taken may be carried or transported into and possessed in an area where the season is closed.

It is unlawful to import into this state for commercial purposes any salmon of smaller size than can be legally taken under regulations of either the Pacific Fishery Management Council or the state of landing. Such prohibition does not apply to domestically reared salmon as defined by commission regulations to include salmon which have returned to a hatchery or licensed artificial collection facility. Such domestically reared salmon may be imported under regulations established by the commission.

Yellowtail, barracuda, and white seabass taken in waters lying south of the maritime boundary line between the United States and Mexico, with that maritime boundary line including, but not limited to, the federal Exclusive Economic Zone boundary, may be delivered to California ports aboard boats, including boats carrying purse seine or round haul nets in accordance with those regulations as the commission may make governing the inspection and marking of those fish imported into this state. The cost of that inspection and marking shall be paid by the importer. Fish taken in Mexico shall not be imported unless legally taken and legally possessed and a declaration is submitted to the department pursuant to Section 2353.

Striped bass, sturgeon, or shad legally taken in another state that permits the sale of that fish may be imported into this state under regulations of the commission. Before the commission adopts any regulation pursuant to this section, a public hearing shall be held in the San Francisco or Sacramento area.

Crab meat from outside the State may be imported into the State under regulations of the commission.

Spiny lobsters may be imported into California until the twenty-sixth day after the close of the California season. Lobsters imported into California and lobsters legally taken in California during the open season prescribed in this code may be possessed and sold during the closed season, subject to the regulations of the commission. The cost of inspection and marking, under the regulations of the commission, shall be paid by the importer or owner of the lobsters.

No pismo clam taken in this State may be shipped.

Pismo clams taken outside this state may be imported into this state when accompanied by a United States customhouse entry certificate showing their place of origin, and a certificate or clearance from the responsible governmental agency to the effect that such shipment was made in compliance with the laws and regulations of the place or country of origin. Such pismo clams may be canned and shipped outside this state. The commission may prescribe regulations governing the inspection and marking of pismo clams imported into this state. The cost of such inspection and marking shall be paid by the importer of the pismo clams.

Abalone or abalone meat legally taken outside this state may be imported into this state when accompanied by a United States customhouse entry certificate showing the place of origin, and a certificate or clearance from the responsible governmental agency to the effect that such shipment was made in compliance with the laws and regulations of the place or country of origin, and such abalone or abalone meat may be possessed in this state and shipped or transported out of the state, but all containers of such abalone shall be marked with the abalone's place or country of origin.