This chapter applies to all fish and amphibia, including, but not limited to, fish and amphibia being imported or transported. This chapter does not apply to activities governed by Division 12 (commencing with Section 15000).
GenerallyInfected Or Diseased Fish
Section § 6300
This law covers all fish and amphibians, whether they are being imported or transported. It is important to note that any activities already regulated by another set of rules starting with Section 15000 are not included under this chapter.
fish importation amphibia transport aquatic wildlife regulation
Section § 6301
This law allows the department to inspect any place where fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants are kept or moved to check for diseases or to ensure they are legally handled. This can include vehicles, containers, ships, warehouses, and growing areas.
The department may enter at any time any vehicle, container, warehouse, depot, ship, or growing area where any fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants are held, transported, or stored, for the purpose of making a regulatory inspection to ascertain whether those fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants are infected, diseased, or parasitized, or to determine if aquaculture products are being or have been legally imported, transported, or possessed.
regulatory inspection aquatic disease fish inspection
Section § 6302
This law states that any fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants that are found to be infected with disease or parasites are considered a public nuisance and must be destroyed immediately by the responsible department, unless exceptions exist as outlined in another specific legal division.
Except as otherwise provided in Division 12 (commencing with Section 15000), all fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants found to be infected, diseased, or parasitized are a public nuisance and shall be summarily destroyed by the department.
infected fish amphibians with disease aquatic plants parasitized
Section § 6303
This law states that any fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants deemed harmful to other fish, amphibians, aquatic plants, or animal life must be destroyed by the department. However, the owner can avoid this by shipping them out of the state within a specified timeframe set by the department.
All fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants which the department determines are merely deleterious to fish, amphibia, aquatic plants, or aquatic animal life, shall be destroyed by the department, unless the owner or person in charge of the fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants ships them out of the State within a period of time to be specified by the department.
harmful aquatic species invasive species control fish destruction
Section § 6304
If the department identifies fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants that are infected, diseased, or have parasites, they have to inform the public by putting up notices in the area where these are found. The notices will explain where the boundaries of the affected area are and when it's illegal to take, carry, or transport these items from that area.
Furthermore, these notices will be announced in a local newspaper that's commonly read in the county for four weeks. If there's no suitable newspaper in that county, they will publish it in a neighboring county's newspaper.
If the department finds any infected, diseased, or parasitized fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants within this State, the department shall post notices describing, as nearly as possible, the boundaries of the area within which the fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants are found, and shall state the period during which the taking, carrying, and transportation of the fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants from the area shall be unlawful. The fact of posting the notices shall be published once a week for four successive weeks in some newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the infected area is situated, and, if there is no such newspaper in that county, then in a newspaper of general circulation published in an adjoining county.
infected fish diseased fish parasitized fish
Section § 6305
This law makes it illegal to transport fish, amphibians, or aquatic plants that are infected, diseased, or have parasites from one place to another within the state, especially if the location is marked according to the rules mentioned in this article.
It is unlawful to carry or cause to be carried from one point in this State which has been posted according to the provisions of this article, to any other point in this State, any infected, diseased, or parasitized fish, amphibia, or aquatic plant.
infected fish diseased aquatic animals parasitized fish
Section § 6306
If a fish, amphibian, or aquatic plant needs to be examined because of this law, the owner or importer has to pay for it. However, if the fish is brought in for people to fish with a sport fishing license in public waters, the department might cover the cost.
The expense of any examination made necessary by the provisions of this code, shall be borne by the owner of the fish, amphibia, or aquatic plants, or the person or persons importing them into this State; provided, that the department may assume such expense in the case of fish imported to provide fishing under the authority of a sport fishing license in the public waters of this State.
examination expenses owner responsibility aquatic plant import
