This law prohibits using traps to catch fish, mollusks, or crustaceans for commercial purposes in California's waters unless specifically allowed by the rules in this article. However, traps can be used to catch fish in the ocean, but only if it's expressly permitted by this article. Additionally, traps used for catching freshwater baitfish as described in another section are not restricted by these rules.

This section defines various terms that are important for understanding certain fishing regulations. These terms include 'bucket trap,' which is a small plastic bucket, and 'Korean trap,' a specific type of plastic cylinder trap. It also explains 'deeper nearshore species' and 'nearshore species,' which refer to certain types of fish identified in specific regulations. Additionally, the term 'general trap permit' refers to a necessary permit for commercial fishing that is valid and not revoked. Finally, 'popup' is defined as a device for releasing a buoy at a set time.

If you want to catch fish, shellfish, or crustaceans, except for lobsters and Dungeness crabs, with traps in the ocean for commercial reasons, you need a special permit called a general trap permit. This permit can't be suspended or canceled, and it costs $35. If you're involved in running or helping with traps, or if you have these sea creatures on your boat with traps, you must also have this permit. However, if you're catching lobsters or Dungeness crabs, different rules apply.

If you have a general trap permit, you're allowed to catch hagfish using specific traps, but there are a few rules. You can use Korean traps or bucket traps, but not more than 500 Korean traps or 200 bucket traps at a time on your boat or in the water. And you can't have other types of traps on your boat at the same time.

Also, when using these traps, you can't catch or sell any other fish except hagfish. Additionally, you can't have pop-ups on the lines attached to these traps or even on your boat while catching hagfish.

This law outlines the conditions under which finfish, except for sablefish and hagfish, can be caught with a general trap permit in California. Everyone on the vessel must have a valid, non-suspended permit. Special permits are needed for nearshore and deeper nearshore species.

Traps left in the water overnight must be unbaited with open doors unless circumstances prevent it, in which case the department must be notified. Buoy lines can't use popups, and trap destruction devices must meet specific regulations. There are restrictions on where traps can be set, the maximum number allowed, and mesh size.

Certain fish, like lobsters, are prohibited as bait. Lobsters can be on the vessel with finfish if everyone has a valid lobster permit.

This section outlines the rules for catching sablefish with traps in certain ocean waters between Point Arguello and the U.S.-Mexico border. The traps must be six feet or smaller, have mesh sizes of at least two by two inches, and can only be used in waters deeper than 200 fathoms. Also, one can't have sablefish traps and other commercial fishing gear on the vessel at the same time, except for specific exceptions related to spot prawn traps during their open season.

This law makes it illegal to mess with someone else's trap that is marked with a buoy identification number unless you are authorized. If you have a general trap permit and permission, you can legally pull the trap. Employees from the department and public safety personnel, like lifeguards or harbor patrols, can move or remove traps if they pose a safety hazard, as long as they return any marine life to the ocean. They must try to contact the trap owner about where the trap can be retrieved. If the owner doesn't claim their trap within seven days, it can be discarded. The law doesn't require safety agencies to remove traps or take responsibility for any damage.

This law sets up a program to help retrieve lost or abandoned commercial Dungeness crab traps. By June 30, 2019, the department, with help from a Dungeness crab task force, started this program.

The program allows people with a special permit to collect other people's traps without permission during certain times, like when the crab season is closed. Permits come with fees to cover program costs.

Any traps retrieved by permit holders become their property, but they must offer the original owner the chance to buy back their trap for a fair fee. If the original owner refuses, they may face additional fees.

The department can share contact details with permit holders under controlled conditions to protect privacy and may deny permit renewals if fees aren't paid. Proposed programs are shared with the task force for review before implementation. This program will become inactive on April 1, 2029, and could fully end by 2030 unless extended.

This law requires that every marine life trap must have a destruction device designed to allow trapped creatures to escape if the trap cannot be brought up. The device must work quickly to minimize harm to marine life by ensuring the escape of most trapped species.

This law requires that all traps placed in water must be checked and emptied every 96 hours, provided the weather allows it. Traps cannot be left abandoned in the water.

All traps or strings of traps used in fishing need to be identified with a buoy. By January 1, 2020, the department must have regulations in place for standardized gear marking in certain fisheries if deemed necessary. These regulations will include a fee specific to each fishery, covering all administrative and implementation expenses related to these gear marking requirements.

This law requires that every trap used to catch fish or crustaceans must have a buoy marked for identification. The marking system varies: lobster traps must display the owner's fishing license number followed by 'P'; Dungeness crab or hagfish traps require just the license number; traps for other finfish (except sablefish) need the license number with 'Z'; and sablefish traps require the license number followed by 'B'.

This law states that if a trap is used in the water without a buoy, or with a buoy that is not properly marked as required, it is considered a public nuisance. Such traps can be removed by anyone who has the authority to enforce this regulation.

If someone uses a trap that breaks the rules of this code or its regulations, that trap is considered a public nuisance. Unless there's an exception mentioned in another section, such traps can be taken away by authorities according to specific procedures.

To catch spiny lobsters with traps in California, you need a special lobster permit. Lobster traps are allowed almost anywhere except within 75 feet of private structures like piers or docks. Wire traps must have a specific rectangle mesh opening size and a rigid escape for lobsters. The escape gap must meet precise size requirements and be easily reachable for the lobsters. Wire can be used to hold the escape gap in place but has strict rules on size, positioning, and wrapping. If traps are made of lath or other materials, they need a side opening for lobsters to escape, meeting specific spacing criteria.

This law discusses the rules for using traps to catch Dungeness and rock crabs. Dungeness crab traps can be used if they have at least two openings that are each more than four inches in diameter. Rock crabs can be accidentally caught with Dungeness crab traps if it's the right season and they must be returned if they're not legal-sized. For rock crab traps, they also need specific openings but can catch Dungeness crabs accidentally during the right season, and any that are too small must be returned to the water. Additionally, you can't have lobsters on board when using traps intended for rock crabs.

You can't use the same boat to catch crabs both for sale and for personal use on the same day. Also, in specific districts, Dungeness crab traps can't be linked together by a shared line.

This law describes the regulations for catching prawns or shrimp in California. You can use prawn or shrimp traps if you have a general trap permit. The traps themselves can be no larger than six feet in any direction, and the openings must be five inches or smaller.

This law allows certain types of fish, like California killifish and mudsuckers, to be caught using baitfish traps if you have a general trap permit. The traps have to be a certain size: no wider or taller than 12 inches, no longer than 36 inches, and the entry funnel can't be bigger than 2 inches.

You can't use traps to catch fin fish in California's Districts 10, 11, and 12, unless you're using bait fish traps as described in other specific sections. However, outside of these restrictions, you're allowed to use fin fish traps for catching marine species if you have a general trap permit.

This law allows the use of traps to catch carp all year round in California, but there are specific restrictions. The traps cannot be larger than six feet and must be made from cotton or nylon twine with mesh sizes of at least three and a half inches, except for fyke and bait bags which can be any size. Traps must have one vertical fyke opening at the top and can only be baited with grain or grain products. If you catch any fish other than carp, you must release them back into the water immediately.

This law allows people in California to use crayfish traps whenever they want, as long as the traps are used only to catch crayfish. The traps can't be bigger than three feet in any dimension. If you accidentally catch anything other than crayfish, you must immediately put it back in the water. The commission can ban certain crayfish traps if they are harmful to fish or catch too many non-crayfish animals.