SB 345: The Sport Fishing Stimulus Act of 2015.

(1)Existing law makes it unlawful to take mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians outside of established seasons or to exceed any bag limit or possession limit established by statute or by regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission. Under existing law, unless otherwise provided, it is unlawful to possess fish, reptiles, or amphibians except during the open season where taken and for 10 days thereafter, and not more than the possession limit thereof is allowed to be possessed during the period after the close of the open season. Existing law makes it unlawful for any person to possess more than one daily bag limit of any fish taken under a sport fishing license unless authorized by certain regulations adopted by the commission.

This bill would authorize a charitable organization or nonprofit organization to possess fish taken under a sport fishing license in excess of a possession limit established by statute or by regulations adopted by the commission at any time if the charitable organization or nonprofit organization was given the fish by a donor intermediary, as defined, or a person who holds a sport fishing license and an applicable license tag or tags, the charitable organization or nonprofit organization has documentation to that effect, as specified, and the charitable organization or nonprofit organization retains any tag required to be affixed to a fish in the manner prescribed in the Fish and Game Code or regulations adopted by the commission. The bill would authorize a donor intermediary to possess fish taken under a sport fishing license in excess of a possession limit if the donor intermediary complies with the same requirements as a charitable organization or nonprofit organization.

This bill would require the commission to recommend legislation or adopt regulations to clarify when a possession limit is not violated by processing into food lawfully taken sport fish.

(2)Existing law requires every person 16 years of age or older who takes any fish, reptile, or amphibian for any purpose other than profit to first obtain a license for that purpose, with specified exceptions, and to have that license on his or her person or in his or her immediate possession when engaged in carrying out any activity authorized by the license. Existing law requires a resident or a nonresident, 16 years of age or older, to be issued a sport fishing license for the period of a calendar year, or, if issued after the beginning of the year, for the remainder of the year, upon payment of the base fee of $31.25 for residents and $84 for nonresidents. Existing law provides that these base fees are applicable to the 2004 license year and requires the fees to be adjusted annually according to a specified index. the applicable fee.

This bill would require, on January 1, 2018, and until January 1, 2023, that a resident or nonresident, 16 years of age or older and under 18 years of age at the time of issuance of the license, to be issued a junior sport fishing license for the period of 12 consecutive months beginning on the date specified on the license, a calendar year, or, if issued after the beginning of the year, for the remainder of the year, upon payment of the fee applicable for a one-day fishing license. The bill would also increase from January 1, 2018, until January 1, 2023, the age of persons eligible for a nonresident 10-day sport fishing license and a resident and nonresident one-day and 2-day sport fishing license from 16 years of age or older to 18 years of age and older.