ARTICLE 10. Trawl Nets [8830. - 8843.]

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC 10.

in effect

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8830. Section 8830.

“Trawl net” means a cone or funnel-shaped net which is towed or drawn through the water by a fishing vessel and includes any gear appurtenant to the net. Except as otherwise provided in this article, the use of trawl nets shall conform to federal groundfish regulations adopted pursuant to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1801 et seq.).

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8831. Section 8831.

It is unlawful for any person to use any trawl net with meshes which are less than 4 1 2 inches in length except as provided in this article or as provided by federal groundfish regulations adopted pursuant to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C., Sec. 1801 et seq.).

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8832. Section 8832.

Trawl nets and Chinese shrimp nets may be used in marine and brackish waters inside of the Golden Gate Bridge to take shrimp, oriental gobies, longjaw mudsuckers, plainfin midshipmen, and staghorn sculpin only in accordance with regulations which the commission may prescribe.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8833. Section 8833.

(a) In Districts 4, 19, 19A, 20, 20A, and 21, trawl nets or dragnets may not be possessed. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (a) of this section, trawl nets and dragnets may be possessed, under such regulations as the commission shall prescribe, in Districts 4, 19, 19A, 19B, and 21.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8834. Section 8834.

It is unlawful to take or possess more than 500 pounds of crabs on any boat on which any type of trawl or drag net is carried or operated.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8834.1. Section 8834.1.

It is unlawful for any person to possess salmon on board, or to land salmon from, a vessel on which exists any type of trawl net, except that salmon taken incidentally with other species with a trawl net may be possessed and landed if authorized to be taken incidentally pursuant to Section 663.10 of Part 663 of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations, pursuant to a permit issued by the department under Section 1022, or pursuant to both.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8834.5. Section 8834.5.

South of a line extending due west, true, from Point Reyes, it is unlawful for any person on a vessel on which any type of trawl or drag net is carried or operated to take or possess Dungeness crab, as defined in Section 8275, or to transfer Dungeness crab to another vessel.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8835. Section 8835.

In Districts 6, 7, and 10, trawl nets may be used in waters not less than three nautical miles from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8836. Section 8836.

In Districts 17, 18, and 118.5, trawl nets may be used in waters not less than three nautical miles from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore, including those portions of Monterey Bay, Estero Bay, and San Luis Obispo Bay which lie within those districts.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8837. Section 8837.

It is unlawful to use or possess any trawl net that includes any bag or cod-end or modification thereof, other than a bag or cod-end of a single layer of webbing, except as authorized by Section 8496 or by the commission.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8840. Section 8840.

Chafing gear may be used or possessed but shall not be connected directly to the terminal, or closed, end of the cod-end. Except for chafing gear prescribed under federal groundfish regulations adopted pursuant to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C., Sec. 1801 et seq.), all chafing gear shall have a minimum mesh size of six inches, unless only the bottom one-half, or underside, of the cod-end is covered by chafing gear, which may be of any size mesh.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8841. Section 8841.

(a) The commission is hereby granted authority over all state-managed bottom trawl fisheries not managed under a federal fishery management plan pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1801 et seq.) or a state fishery management plan pursuant to Part 1.7 (commencing with Section 7050), to ensure that resources are sustainably managed, to protect the health of ecosystems, and to provide for an orderly transition to sustainable gear types in situations where bottom trawling may not be compatible with these goals. (b) The commission is hereby granted authority to manage all of the following fisheries in a manner that is consistent with this section and Part 1.7 (commencing with Section 7050): (1) California halibut. (2) Sea cucumber. (3) Ridge-back, spot, and golden prawn. (4) Pink shrimp. (c) The commission is also granted authority over other types of gear targeting the same species as the bottom trawl fisheries referenced in subdivision (a) to manage in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Part 1.7 (commencing with Section 7050). (d) Every commercial bottom trawl vessel issued a state permit is subject to the requirements and policies of the federal groundfish observer program (50 C.F.R. 660.16). (e) The commission may only authorize additional fishing areas for bottom trawls after it determines, based on the best available scientific information, that bottom trawling in those areas is sustainable, does not harm bottom habitat, and does not unreasonably conflict with other users. (f) It is unlawful to use roller gear more than eight inches in diameter in connection with a trawl net. (g) Commencing April 1, 2006, it is unlawful to fish commercially for prawns or pink shrimp, unless an approved bycatch reduction device is used with each net. On or before April 1, 2006, the commission shall approve one or more bycatch reduction devices for use in the bottom trawl fishery. For purposes of this subdivision, a rigid grate fish excluder device is the approved type of bycatch reduction device unless the commission, the Pacific Marine Fishery Management Council, or the National Marine Fisheries Service determines that a different type of fish excluder device has an equal or greater effectiveness at reducing bycatch. If the commission does not approve a bycatch reduction device prior to April 1, 2006, then a device that is approved by the Pacific Marine Fishery Management Council or the National Marine Fisheries Service shall be deemed approved by the commission. (h) Except as provided in Section 8495 or 8842, it is unlawful to engage in bottom trawling in ocean waters of the state. (i) This section does not apply to the use of trawl nets pursuant to a scientific research permit. (j) The commission shall facilitate the conversion of bottom trawlers to gear that is more sustainable if the commission determines that conversion will not contribute to overcapacity or overfishing. The commission may participate in, and encourage programs that support, conversion to low-impact gear or capacity reduction by trawl fleets. The department may not issue new permits to bottom trawlers to replace those retired through a conversion program. (k) No vessel may utilize bottom trawling gear without a state or federal permit.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8842. Section 8842.

(a) Trawl nets of a design prescribed by the commission may be used or possessed to take shrimps or prawns under a permit issued by the department under regulations adopted by the commission. Sections 8831, 8833, 8835, and 8836 do not apply to trawl nets used or possessed under a permit issued pursuant to this section. (b) Trawling for shrimps or prawns shall be authorized only in those waters of Districts 6, 7, 10, 17, 18, and 19 that lie not less than three nautical miles from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore, and all offshore islands and the boundary line of District 19A, except that in waters lying between a line extending due west from False Cape and a line extending due west from Point Reyes, trawling is allowed not less than two nautical miles from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore until January 1, 2008. (c) When fishing for pink shrimp (Pandalus jordani) under a permit issued pursuant to this section, it is unlawful to possess in excess of 1,500 pounds of incidentally taken fish per calendar day of a fishing trip, except Pacific whiting, shortbelly rockfish, and arrowtooth flounder, which may be taken in any amount not in excess of federal regulations. No Pacific halibut and not more than 150 pounds of California halibut shall be possessed or landed when fishing under a permit issued pursuant to this section. When fishing for ridgeback prawn and spotted prawn under a permit issued pursuant to this section, it is unlawful to possess in excess of 1,000 pounds of incidentally taken fish per trip. (d) Commencing January 1, 2008, the commission shall permit the taking of pink shrimp not less than two nautical miles from shore in waters that lie between a line extending due west from False Cape and a line extending due west from Point Reyes from the nearest point of land on the mainland shore, if the commission finds that, upon review of information from the federal groundfish observer program and other available research and monitoring information that it determines relevant, the use of trawl gear minimizes bycatch, will not damage seafloor habitat, will not adversely affect ecosystem health, and will not impede reasonable restoration of kelp, coral, or other biogenic habitats. The commission shall pay special attention to areas where kelp and other biogenic habitats existed and where restoring those habitats is feasible, and to hard bottom areas and other substrate that may be particularly sensitive to bottom trawl impacts in making that finding.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 8843. Section 8843.

It is unlawful to use any trawl net with cod-end mesh less than 7 1 2 inches in length and with a cod end less than 29 meshes long and a circumference of not less than 47 meshes in waters lying between one and three nautical miles from the mainland shore between a line running due west (270° true) from Point Arguello and a line running due south (180° true) from Point Mugu.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026