Commercial Fishing Licenses

Section 7850 prohibits a person from using or operating, or assisting in using or operating, any boat, aircraft, net, trap, line, or other appliance to take fish or amphibia for commercial purposes, and no person can cause to be brought ashore, any fish or amphibia at any point in the state for the purpose of selling them in a fresh state or contribute materially to the activities on board the commercial fishing vessel, unless the person holds a commercial fishing license issued by the department.

Section 7850.5 states that the prior section does not apply to any person who is employed by the fish receiver to unload fish or fish products, or to load or unload food and supplies, on or from a commercial fishing boat at a dock.

Section 7851 requires the application for a commercial fishing license to contain a statement of the applicant’s sex, age, height, weight, the color of eyes and hair, and a statement as to whether or not the applicant is a citizen of the United States.

Section 7852 requires the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to issue a commercial fishing license to any resident who is 16 years of age or older, upon payment of a base fee of $95 for each resident vessel crewmember or resident vessel operator.

Section 7852.1 allows the department to refund the fees paid for a commercial fishing license or stamp, a commercial boat registration, or a commercial fishing permit to the estate of the deceased holder of the license, stamp, registration, or permit, if proof is provided by the estate that the death of the holder occurred prior to the opening of the season for which the license, stamp, registration, or permit was valid.

Section 7852.2 provides that a commercial fishing license, stamp, permit, or other entitlement for which there is a renewal deadline cannot be renewed after that deadline, except as set forth in this section.

Section 7852.25 allows the department to deny the issuance or renewal of any licenses, permits, or other authorizations to take or possess fish for commercial purposes, or to conduct business involving fish, that are issued.

Section 7852.27 states that, at all times when engaged in any activity described, the licensee is required to have in his or her possession, or immediately available to the licensee, a valid driver’s license or identification card issued to him or her by the Department of Motor Vehicles or by the entity issuing driver’s licenses from the licensee’s state of domicile.

Section 7852.4 provides that the owner of a vessel upon which a person who is at least 16, but less than 18, years of age, and who is licensed is working must obtain, and maintain in full force and effect at all times that a person is working on or about the vessel, a policy of insurance that provides indemnification to the person licensed.

Section 7853 allows the commission to suspend or revoke the commercial fishing license of any licensee who operates a vessel in waters within the territorial jurisdiction of the State and approaches in two specified circumstances.

Section 7854 prohibits a license from being suspended or revoked until the filing of a complaint with the commission by any of three specified officers.

Section 7855 requires the proceedings to revoke or suspend a commercial fishing license to be conducted at one of the commission’s regularly scheduled meetings.

Section 7856 provides that fish may be prepared for human consumption aboard a commercial fishing vessel only under the rights specified conditions.

Section 7857 sets forth eleven specified conditions that apply to each commercial fishing license, permit, or other entitlement issued to take, possess aboard a boat, or land fish for commercial purposes and to each commercial boat registration issued by the department.

Section 7858 specifies conditions apply to a commercial permit to take, possess aboard a boat, or land fish for commercial purposes in a limited entry fishery.