California Assembly Bill AB825 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 825INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Blakeslee FEBRUARY 26, 2009 An act to amend Section 9011 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to commercial fishing. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 825, as introduced, Blakeslee. Dungeness crab traps. Existing law regulates the Dungeness crab fishery. Existing law sets forth the qualifications for a Dungeness crab vessel permit, and provides that no person shall use a vessel to take, possess, or land Dungeness crab for commercial purposes without a Dungeness crab vessel permit. Existing law regulates the size and features of traps that may be used to take Dungeness crab. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that trap provision. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 9011 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 9011. (a) (1) Subject to Article 6 (commencing with Section 8275) of Chapter 2,  dungeness   Dungeness  crab, as defined in Section 8275, may be taken with dungeness   Dungeness  crab traps. (2) A  dungeness   Dungeness  crab trap may have any number of openings of any size. However, every  dungeness   Dungeness  crab trap shall have at least two rigid circular openings of not less than 41/4 inches, inside diameter, on the top or side of the trap. If both of the openings are located on the side of the trap, at least one of the openings shall be located so that at least one-half of the opening is in the upper half of the trap. (3) Any rock crab taken with a crab trap used pursuant to this subdivision to take  dungeness   Dungeness  crab shall be immediately returned to the waters from which it was taken. No person shall possess rock crab aboard any vessel when the vessel is being used to take  dungeness   Dungeness  crab. (b) (1) Subject to Article 6 (commencing with Section 8275) of Chapter 2, rock crab, as defined in Section 8275, may be taken with rock crab traps. (2) A rock crab trap may have any number of openings of any size. However, a rock crab trap constructed of wire mesh with an inside mesh measurement of not less than 17/8 inches by 37/8 inches, with the 37/8 inch measurement parallel to the floor, shall have at least one rigid circular opening of not less than 31/4 inches, inside diameter, located on any outside wall of the rearmost chamber of the crab trap and shall be located so that at least one-half of the opening is in the upper half of the trap. Rock crab traps constructed of other material shall have at least two rigid circular openings of not less than 31/4 inches, inside diameter, on the top or side of the rearmost chamber of the trap. If both of the openings are located on the side of the trap, at least one of the openings shall be located so that at least one-half of the opening is in the upper half of the trap. No rigid circular opening, as required, shall extend more than1/2 inch beyond the plane of the wall side or top of the trap in which it is located, and it shall be clearly accessible to any crab which may be in the trap. (3) No person shall possess any lobster aboard a vessel while the vessel is being used pursuant to this subdivision to take rock crab. Any  dungeness   Dungeness  crab taken with a crab trap used pursuant to this subdivision to take rock crab shall be immediately returned to the waters from which it was taken. No person shall possess  dungeness   Dungeness  crab aboard any vessel when the vessel is being used to take rock crab.