Chapter 2Definitions

Section § 35550

Explanation

This section defines key terms used in California's environmental regulations related to ocean protection. It explains that the 'Council' refers to the Ocean Protection Council, and the 'Fund' is the California Ocean Protection Trust Fund. The section also outlines conditions for what constitutes 'internationally accepted standards for sustainable seafood,' focusing primarily on ecological guidelines and effective fishery management systems. Additionally, 'public agency' denotes any state or local government entity. 'Sustainable' refers to the ongoing availability and responsible use of resources while ensuring economic, social, and ecological benefits over the long term.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions govern this division:
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(a) “Council” means the Ocean Protection Council established pursuant to Section 35600.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(b) “Fund” means the California Ocean Protection Trust Fund established pursuant to Section 35650.
(c)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(c) “Internationally accepted standards for sustainable seafood” means standards that meet all of the following criteria:
(1)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(c)(1) Meet or exceed the Guidelines for the Ecolabeling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries promulgated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
(2)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(c)(2) Conform to all of the following principles:
(A)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(c)(2)(A) A fishery must be conducted in a manner that does not lead to overfishing or depletion of the exploited populations and, for those populations that are depleted, the fishery must be conducted in a manner that demonstrably leads to their recovery.
(B)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(c)(2)(B) Fishing operations should allow for the maintenance of the structure, productivity, function, and diversity of the ecosystem, including habitat and associated dependent and ecologically related species on which the fishery depends.
(C)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(c)(2)(C) The fishery is subject to an effective management system that respects local, national, and international laws and standards and incorporates institutional and operational frameworks that require use of the resource to be responsible and sustainable.
(d)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(d) “Public agency” means a city, county, city and county, district, or the state or any agency or department of the state.
(e)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(e) “Sustainable” and “sustainability” mean both of the following:
(1)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(e)(1) Continuous replacement of resources, taking into account fluctuations in abundance and environmental variability.
(2)CA Public Resources Code § 35550(e)(2) Securing the fullest possible range of present and long-term economic, social, and ecological benefits, while maintaining biological diversity.
Ocean Protection Council California Ocean Protection Trust Fund sustainable seafood standards FAO guidelines fishery management ecological sustainability fishery recovery ecosystem maintenance resource management local and international laws environmental variability biological diversity public agency economic benefits ecological benefits
(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 279, Sec. 2. (AB 1217) Effective January 1, 2010.)