ARTICLE 2. Special Provisions for Given Areas [10650. - 10667.]

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC 2.

in effect

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10650. Section 10650.

In Mt. Tamalpais Game Refuge, the lawful occupant of privately owned land, or the employees of such occupant, may take on such lands, predatory, or destructive birds and mammals which are not protected or fostered by any of the laws of this State, and are not required to obtain permits for such taking.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10651. Section 10651.

In the Mt. Tamalpais Game Refuge firearms may be possessed and used by members of any high school militia while on the grounds of the high school at which time they may be enrolled.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10652. Section 10652.

In the Mt. Tamalpais Game Refuge, no threatened, endangered, or fully-protected birds or mammals may be taken under any permit issued by the department. Except for wild pigs, it is unlawful to take any bird or mammal under a permit issued by the department unless the person possessing the permit is accompanied by a member of the commission, a deputy of the department, or a sheriff or deputy sheriff of Marin County.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10653. Section 10653.

In the San Francisco Fish and Game Refuge, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, and reptiles legally possessed may be carried openly by persons traveling through the refuge on public roads, between one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10654. Section 10654.

Nothing in this division prevents the full use of the land included in the San Francisco Fish and Game Refuge for water supply purposes, nor prohibits any authorized employee of the San Francisco water department from carrying out reasonable measures as may be necessary for the protection of the water supply or the prevention of pollution of the streams or reservoirs.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10655. Section 10655.

(a) A person involved in oceanographic and scientific research in and around Santa Catalina Island may be authorized by the Director of the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge to enter the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge and to anchor or moor a vessel therein. (b) The Director of the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge, or any person that the Director of the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge has authorized under Section 10502.8, may take, for scientific purposes, any fish or specimen of marine plant life under the conditions prescribed by the department under Section 10502.8.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10655.5. Section 10655.5.

(a) Except as expressly provided in this division, it is unlawful to enter the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge for the purpose of taking or possessing any fish or marine plants or to take or possess any fish or marine plants in the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge. (b) Except as permitted by federal law or emergency caused by hazardous weather, it is unlawful to anchor or moor a vessel in the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge without authorization by the Director of the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge pursuant to Section 10502.8. (c) Section 10655 and this section do not prohibit or restrict navigation in the Catalina Marine Science Center Marine Life Refuge pursuant to federal law.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10656. Section 10656.

(a) Except as expressly provided in this division, it is unlawful to enter the Bodega Marine Life Refuge for the purpose of taking or possessing any fish, marine invertebrate, or marine plant, or to take or possess any fish, marine invertebrate, or marine plant in the Bodega Marine Life Refuge. (b) Except as permitted by federal law or emergency caused by hazardous weather, it is unlawful to anchor or moor a vessel in the Bodega Marine Life Refuge without authorization by the Director of the Bodega Marine Life Refuge pursuant to Section 10502.7. (c) This section does not prohibit or restrict navigation in the Bodega Marine Life Refuge pursuant to federal law.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10657. Section 10657.

(a) A person may be permitted by the Director of the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge to enter the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge under a permit. (b) The Director of the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge, or any person to whom the Director of the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge has issued a permit under Section 10502.5, may take, for scientific purposes, any fish or specimen of marine plant life under the conditions prescribed by the department under Section 10502.5.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10657.5. Section 10657.5.

Except as expressly provided in this division, it is unlawful to enter the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge for the purpose of taking or possessing any fish or marine plants or to take or possess any fish or marine plants in the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge. Section 10657 and this section do not prohibit or restrict navigation in the Hopkins Marine Life Refuge pursuant to federal law.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10658. Section 10658.

In the San Diego Marine Life Refuge, licensees of the Regents of the University of California and all officers, employees, and students of such university may take, for scientific purposes, any invertebrate or specimen of marine plant life without a permit from the department.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10659. Section 10659.

In the California Sea Otter Game Refuge, the lawful occupant of privately owned land, or the employees of such occupant, may possess firearms and traps and may take on such lands any nonprotected bird or mammal, and no permit is required for such taking.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10660. Section 10660.

(a) In the Pacific Grove Marine Gardens Fish Refuge, fish, other than mollusks and crustaceans, may be taken under the authority of a sport fishing license as authorized by this code. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, holders of scientific collectors’ permits issued by the commission, or students working under their direction, may take marine life for scientific purposes in this refuge. (c) In this refuge, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, squid and herring may be taken by ring net, lampara net or bait net as authorized by this code.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10661. Section 10661.

In the Bodega Marine Life Refuge, licensees of the Regents of the University of California and all officers, employees, and students of such university may take, for scientific purposes, any invertebrate or specimen of marine plant life without a permit from the department.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10662. Section 10662.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, it shall be unlawful for any person to fire a firearm, but it shall not be unlawful to possess a firearm, in the following areas: All of T. 5 S., R. 5 E., except Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, and 13, of Game Refuge 4D.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10663. Section 10663.

In Fish and Game Refuge 4-D the lawful occupant of privately owned lands or the employees of such occupants may possess firearms without a permit.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10664. Section 10664.

In the Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Point Fermin, South Laguna Beach, Niguel, Irvine Coast, and Doheny Beach Marine Life Refuges, the following fish, mollusks, and crustaceans may be taken under the authority of a sportfishing license as authorized by this code: abalone, lobster, rockfish (Scorpaenidae), greenling, ling cod, cabezon, yellowtail, mackerel, bluefin tuna, kelp bass, spotted sand bass, barred sand bass, sargo, croaker, queenfish, corbina, white seabass, opaleye, halfmoon, surfperch (Embiotocidae), blacksmith, barracuda, sheephead, bonito, California halibut, sole, turbot, and sanddab. Fin fish shall be taken only by hook and line or by spearfishing gear. All other fish and forms of aquatic life are protected and may not be taken without a written permit from the department.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10665. Section 10665.

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, in the Johnsville Game Refuge it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm or other device capable of killing or injuring any animal. However, it shall not be unlawful for the lawful occupants of privately owned lands or the employees of such occupants to possess firearms or other devices capable of killing or injuring an animal without a permit. Birds and animals lawfully taken and possessed outside of the boundaries of the Johnsville Game Refuge may be possessed within the refuge.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10666. Section 10666.

In the James V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, the following fish and mollusks may be taken under the authority of a sport fishing license as authorized by this code: abalone, rockfish (Sebastes), lingcod, surfperch (Embiotocidae), monkeyface eel, rock eel, white croaker, halibut, cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus), kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus), and smelt (Osmeridae and Antherinidae). No such fish having fins may be taken except by hook and line or by spearfishing. All other fish and forms of aquatic life are protected and may not be taken without a written permit from the department.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 10667. Section 10667.

(a) In the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge below the intertidal zone, the following fish, mollusks, and crustaceans may be taken under the authority of a sportfishing license as authorized by this code: abalone (subject to the moratorium imposed under Section 5521), lobster, rockfish (Scorpaenidae), greenling, ling cod, cabezon, yellowtail, mackerel, bluefin tuna, kelp bass, spotted sand bass, barred sand bass, sargo, croaker, queenfish, corbina, white seabass, opaleye, halfmoon, surfperch (Embiotocidae), blacksmith, barracuda, sheephead, bonito, California halibut, sole, turbot, and sanddab. Fin fish shall be taken only by hook and line or by spearfishing gear. All other fish and forms of aquatic life are protected and may not be taken without a written permit from the department. (b) Except as expressly provided in this section, it is unlawful to enter the intertidal zone in the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge for the purpose of taking or possessing, or to take or possess, any species of fish, plant, or invertebrate, or part thereof, to use or have in possession any contrivance designed to be used for catching fish, to disturb any native plant, fish, wildlife, aquatic organism, or to take or disturb any natural geological feature. This subdivision does not prohibit persons from entering the intertidal zone for the purpose of entertainment, recreation, and education while having a minimum impact on the intertidal environment and the living organisms therein. For this purpose, minimum impact includes foot traffic, general observation of organisms in their environment with immediate replacement of any unattached organisms to their natural location after temporary lifting for examination, and photography. Minimum impact does not include removal of attached organisms from their environment, gathering of fishing bait, littering, collecting rocks and shells, or turning rocks or other acts destructive to the environment. (c) For the purposes of this section, “intertidal zone” means the area of the refuge between the mean lower low-water mark and the mean high-tide line described in Section 10907. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) or (b), the Director of the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge, or any person, who has a scientific collector’s permit from the department, to whom the Director of the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge has issued a permit pursuant to Section 10502.6, may take, for scientific purposes, any fish or specimen of marine plant life under the conditions prescribed by the department pursuant to Section 10502.6. (e) This section does not prohibit the entry of state and local law enforcement officers, fire suppression agencies, and employees of the department in the performance of their official duties. This section does not prohibit or restrict navigation in the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge pursuant to federal law.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026