Fines For Catching a Black Bass

December 4, 2008

Question: A buddy of mine was caught recently with a small black sea bass. What is the current fine for these fish? Will he be looking at any jail time? (Jimmy L.)

Answer: The courts have the responsibility to administer fines and many courts send a notice regarding the fine in the mail. A black sea bass violation would generally be cited as a misdemeanor under section 12002 of the Fish and Game Code. The fine prescribed under this section provides for a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or six months in the county jail. All bails and penalties can be found on our Web site at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/docs/bail-and-penalties.pdf. However, be aware that the bail schedule is only a guideline or recommendation. The judge has the final say of what the fine shall be.

Black Bass is quite different from Black Sea Bass (at least in size)