Cleaning Fish in Lakes and Streams

March 18, 2010

Question: Occasionally, I see a few knuckleheads who after a great day of fishing will decide to clean their fish and toss the remains into the lake, thus bringing the sea gulls in. You can probably imagine what the fishing is like for the rest of us then who want to continue fishing. Is there a regulation regarding fish cleaning in lakes and streams? (George L.)

Answer: No. While under some circumstances it may attract birds looking for an easy snack and end up spoiling the fishing experiences of anglers close by, this practice does not violate Fish and Game Code. According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Game Warden Nick Buckler, the Fish and Game Code only prohibits the disposal of mammal viscera or carcasses and dead bird carcasses into the state’s waters (FGC section 5652). Depending on the waters, there may be special county park ordinances though requiring all fish cleaning to be done at cleaning stations or away from the fishing waters, but there is no state law requiring this. These answers are based on the Fish and Game Code and California Code of Regulations, Title 14 only. There may be other laws that are applicable

Nice to see this in print.  It's a common misconception among anglers that it is illegal to clean fish in freshwater lakes and streams.  There may be laws specific to a given body of water, but there is no state-wide ban on cleaning fish in freshwater.  I do it all the time.  If the fish isn't removed from the water body via angling or some flying predator like an osprey, then it's going to die and decompose in there at some point in time anyway.  In many situations, it is beneficial to return a fish carcass to a river because of the nutrients it provides to an often nutrient-starved system.

Of course, I could see problems arising if hundreds of pounds of fish guts and carcasses were dumped in a still cove with little water circulation (low D.O., etc.).  But that sort of harvesting usually doesn't happen in lakes.