Salmon and Steelhead Facilities

Division 2, Chapter 3, Article 6 of the Fish and Game Code deals with cooperative salmon and steelhead reading facilities under the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Section 1200 authorizes the department to enter into agreements with counties, nonprofit groups, private persons, individually or in combination, for the management and operation of rearing facilities for salmon and steelhead.

Section 1201 provides that an applicant who wishes to enter into an agreement to operate a rearing facility is required to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the department prior to executing the agreement, that the applicant’s financial ability to properly operate the rearing facility.

Section 1202 specifies that all fish handled or released under authority of this article are the property of the state and may be taken only after their release into the wild and under the authority of a sport or commercial fishing license.

Section 1203 states that the release of fish reared in facilities pursuant to this article must be made in accordance with the policy of the commission.

Section 1204 requires the department to fund the agreements only on a matching basis with the persons or entities who enter into the agreements. Funds appropriated for the purposes of this article cannot be used to purchase equipment or for construction.

Section 1205 requires the department to make, subject to the limitations of appropriate egg sources and funding, available fish of appropriate size and species to persons or entities who enter into agreements pursuant to this article.

Section 1206 requires salmon and steelhead raised to be released in streams, rivers, or waters north of Point Conception and upon release have unimpeded access to the sea.