Cal. FGC § 8623
This is the official text of Cal. FGC § 8623, part of California’s Fish and Game Code — regulates hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Official statutory text
(a) It is unlawful to use any purse seine or round haul net to take yellowtail, barracuda, or white sea bass.
(b) It is unlawful to possess any yellowtail, barracuda, or white sea bass, except those taken south of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico, and imported into the state under regulations of the commission as provided in Section 2362, on any boat carrying or using any purse seine or round haul net, including, but not limited to, a bait net as described in Section 8780.
(c) Gill nets with meshes of a minimum length of 3 1/2 inches may be used to take yellowtail and barracuda.
(d) Gill nets with meshes of a minimum length of six inches may be used to take white sea bass; however, during the period from June 16 to March 14, inclusive, not more than 20 percent by number of a load of fish may be white seabass 28 inches or more in total length, up to a maximum of 10 white seabass per load, if taken in gill nets or trammel nets with meshes from 3 1/2 to 6 inches in length.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the department may issue permits to hook and line commercial fishermen to possess a bona fide bait net on their vessels for the purpose of taking bait for their own use only.
(b) It is unlawful to possess any yellowtail, barracuda, or white sea bass, except those taken south of the international boundary between the United States and Mexico, and imported into the state under regulations of the commission as provided in Section 2362, on any boat carrying or using any purse seine or round haul net, including, but not limited to, a bait net as described in Section 8780.
(c) Gill nets with meshes of a minimum length of 3 1/2 inches may be used to take yellowtail and barracuda.
(d) Gill nets with meshes of a minimum length of six inches may be used to take white sea bass; however, during the period from June 16 to March 14, inclusive, not more than 20 percent by number of a load of fish may be white seabass 28 inches or more in total length, up to a maximum of 10 white seabass per load, if taken in gill nets or trammel nets with meshes from 3 1/2 to 6 inches in length.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the department may issue permits to hook and line commercial fishermen to possess a bona fide bait net on their vessels for the purpose of taking bait for their own use only.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in California?
Find a California lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.