Religious Live Fish Releases

May 12, 2016

Question: I am looking for a place/beach to release live fish. Our religion says it is very good to release a live fish because you save a life and also you learn to be merciful to all of the lives in the world. I live in Orange County, but any places/beaches in Los Angeles or Orange County works for us. We have friends who get permission in Europe to do this. The government allows them to release only certain fish species in specific areas only. (Joo Pheng, Ooi)

Answer: What you are proposing cannot be authorized in California, even for religious purposes. It is illegal to transport live finfish as well as to release live finfish into waters different from where taken.

According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Marine Aquaculture Coordinator Kirsten Ramey, prayer animal release can pose a serious risk to natural resources and society through the introduction of non-native and/or invasive species. California currently faces a variety of significant and lasting impacts from introductions of non-native and invasive species in both fresh and coastal waters. Just a few of these impacts include reduced diversity and abundance of native plants and animals (due to competition, predation, parasitism, genetic dilution, introduction of pathogens, smother and loss of habitat to invasive species), threats to public health and safety (via parasites and disease) and increased costs to business, agriculture, landowners and government (for invasive pest treatment and clean up).

One of California’s costly introductions was attributed to the aquarium trade, based on DNA evidence. Caulerpa taxifoli, an invasive algae originally from the Mediterranean Sea, has cost California more than $6 million to eradicate.

In terms of ecological impacts, the introduction of invasive species is thought to be second only to habitat loss in contributing to declining native biodiversity throughout the United States. California has been invaded by many aquatic plants and animals which have altered native ecosystems and taken a toll on recreation, commercial fishing and sensitive native species. For these reasons and more, it is unlawful to place, plant or cause to be placed or planted, in any of the waters of this state, any live fish, any fresh or salt water animal, or any aquatic plant, whether taken without or within the state, without first securing the written permission from CDFW (Fish and Game Code, section 6400).

If interested in gaining authorization to legally place live plants or animals into waters of the state, a person needs to first prepare a description of their proposal and submit it to CDFW for review.

reminds me of the lobster that was caught in the farallons 

http://blog.sfgate.com/stienstra/2013/11/27/maine-lobster-caught-released-at-farallon-islands/

This actually happens a lot , they usually buy all the live baitfish from a bait shop. And release them all...

Yup, no minnows left in the area after one of those ceremonies. Nice fat bass and other fish that won't bite for a week! Release a seed instead? plant a fruit tree? Feed all those that are hungry by growing food in the urban sphere. Food enough for all.... some of the places I lived in Brazil, you could gather as you walked. meat was a bit hard to come by, but the variety of fruit, legumes and tubers was great

maybe they could volunteer to help one of the salmon/trout pen release programs.  I also know that some schools release things like trout or steelhead in local creeks with local support that is copacetic.  I think Carrie could have done a better job giving them some options.

I saw one of these ceremonies at Quarry Lakes in Fremont a year or two ago when I was using the launch ramp.  It looked like the group sponsored a planting done by an authorized organization.  Don't recall who it was, but the participants were not operating the equipment releasing the fish, just seem to have paid for it.

I didn't get any bites that day, FWIW.