Article 3. Seizure of California Fish And Game Code >> Division 6. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 3.

Any net or trap used for taking fish in violation of the provisions of this code is a public nuisance. It is the duty of every person authorized to make an arrest for such a violation to seize and keep the net and report the seizure to the department. The department may commence proceedings in the superior court of the county or city and county in which the seizure is made by petitioning the court for a judgment forfeiting the net. Upon the filing of the petition, the clerk of the court shall fix a time for a hearing and cause notices to be posted for 14 days in at least three public places in the place where the court is held, setting forth the substance of the petition and the time and place fixed for its hearing. At that time, the court shall hear and determine the proceeding and, upon proof that the net was used in violation of this code shall order it forfeited. Any net so forfeited shall be sold or destroyed by the department. The proceeds from all those sales shall be paid into the Fish and Game Preservation Fund.

In lieu of a physical seizure pursuant to this article, any person authorized to make an arrest for a violation of any provision of this code, may attach to any net used for taking fish in violation of this code a tag of metal or other material, which shall be adopted by the department for this purpose and furnished to such person. The tag shall be impressed or printed with language stating that the net to which it is attached is thereby seized by the department as a public nuisance. The act of attaching such tag shall be a seizure within the meaning of this section. Removal of a tag attached to any net pursuant to this section by any person other than a person authorized by the department, or the use of any such net by any person for fishing purposes, unless authorized by the department or by the superior court, is a misdemeanor.

Within three days after the department has been notified in writing that a vessel carrying a seized net has arrived in port, the department may remove the net from the vessel, unless the owner has furnished a bond in accordance with Section 8633. The notice shall be sufficient when delivered to the office of the department nearest to the port at which the vessel has arrived.

When any net is seized pursuant to this article, the owner or any other person otherwise entitled to possession of the net may apply to the superior court of the county or city and county in which the seizure was made, or the county or city and county of which the claimant is a resident, for leave to file a bond and regain possession of the net during the pendency of the proceedings. The bond shall be in an amount determined by the judge to be the actual value of the net at the time of its release. It shall be filed within three days after the seizure of the net, and shall be conditioned upon the return of the net to the custody of the department in the event the net is ordered forfeited. Upon filing the bond, the person on whose behalf it is given shall be put in possession of the net and may use the net until it is finally ordered delivered up and forfeited, if such be the judgment of the court.

When any net is seized pursuant to this article and the owner or any other person otherwise entitled to possession of the net has filed a bond and regained possession of the net, the person in possession of the net, when in the judgment of the court the net is ordered forfeited, shall deliver the net to the department by removing the net from the boat and placing in a warehouse or storage designated by the department.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 8633, any net or trap seized pursuant to Section 8630 as illegal because of its size, manner of construction, materials used in its construction, or configuration of its parts is presumed to be contraband and shall not be returned pending forfeiture unless it can be and is modified to eliminate the condition of illegality. This subdivision does not apply to any net or trap seized pursuant to Section 8630 for illegal use.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), any net or trap seized pursuant to Section 8630 that is needed for evidence may be held for evidence.