AB 1151: Vaquita-friendly fish and fish products.

Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife and generally requires the Fish and Game Code to be administered and enforced through regulations adopted by the department. Existing law makes it unlawful for any person to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute a shark fin, as defined. Existing law generally makes violations of provisions relating to fish and wildlife a crime.

This bill would would, commencing January 1, 2019, make it unlawful to sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute vaquita-harmful fish and fish products, products that are not vaquita-friendly, as defined. The bill would require the department to adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2019, to enforce this prohibition and would prohibit the department from enforcing the prohibition until July 1, 2019. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.