Question: Before I throw cold water on a neighborhood kid’s moneymaking scheme, please advise me if what he is doing is legal. He regularly fishes in Half Moon Bay and is advertising through email to sell the catch to neighbors on an ongoing basis, depending on what he catches. I suspect that he needs a commercial fishing license to engage in this commerce, but I don’t have the regulations to back up my belief. What does such a license entail, by the way? (Anonymous)
Answer: Where to start! What that young person is doing is illegal – likely on many different fronts.
First and foremost, it is unlawful to sell or purchase any sport-caught fish or amphibians taken in the waters of California (Fish and Game Code, section 7121).
A commercial fishing license is required for any resident 16 years of age or older to take fish for commercial purposes or otherwise contribute materially to the activities onboard a commercial fishing vessel (FGC, section 7850).
Furthermore, there is a whole host of additional permits, licenses and stamps required of commercial fishermen depending on where they fish, how they fish and what they fish for. You can see a complete listing of descriptions and fees at the CDFW website (www.wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Commercial/Descriptions).
Additionally, there are regulations for commercial take that often involve different seasons and size limits than what is required of recreational anglers.
These commercially caught fish then have to be “landed” by a licensed receiver before they are sold (FGC, section 8033).
As you can see, it’s no simple undertaking to be a commercial fisherman in California, but these regulations are meant to help conserve the state’s fisheries. The illegal activities you’ve described need to stop. If the individual does not stop, please call our CalTIP number (888-334-CalTIP) so that our wildlife officers can educate this young person.
Ski Pro 3 -- Jerry:
But what if the kid is under age 16? I think that's what the original question was trying to ask.
Archie Marx:
--- Quote from: Ski Pro 3 -- Jerry on February 22, 2018, 08:20:58 PM ---But what if the kid is under age 16? I think that's what the original question was trying to ask.
--- End quote ---
Illegal
Ski Pro 3 -- Jerry:
Found this on the CDFW Q&A website;
A child or young adult 15 years of age or younger does not need a fishing license to catch their own limit of fish. All of the same regulations apply for them except the requirement to purchase a fishing license.
Archie Marx:
--- Quote from: Ski Pro 3 -- Jerry on February 22, 2018, 09:07:43 PM ---Found this on the CDFW Q&A website;
A child or young adult 15 years of age or younger does not need a fishing license to catch their own limit of fish. All of the same regulations apply for them except the requirement to purchase a fishing license.