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SB-1393 • 2026

Commercial fishing: steelhead trout: Dungeness crab.

Commercial fishing: steelhead trout: Dungeness crab.

Budget Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
McGuire
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on late or non-return fees for steelhead trout cards.

Steelhead Trout Fishing and Dungeness Crab Regulations

The bill increases fees for steelhead trout fishing cards, extends regulations on Dungeness crab fishing to protect marine life, and requires reports about the programs every five years.

What This Bill Does

  • Increases the fee for steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card from $5 to $15 starting in 2027.
  • Requires people who do not return their steelhead trout fishing cards by the deadline to pay a late or non-return fee.
  • Extends regulations on Dungeness crab fishing until January 1, 2040, to protect marine life from entanglement risks.
  • Establishes the Dungeness Crab Fleet Subaccount within the Dungeness Crab Account and requires it to be managed by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
  • Requires reports about steelhead trout and Dungeness crab programs every five years.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who fish for steelhead trout in California.
  • Fishermen who catch Dungeness crabs.
  • The Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Terms To Know

Steelhead Trout Fishing Report- Restoration Card
A card that fishermen must buy to fish for steelhead trout in California, which helps fund conservation efforts.
Dungeness Crab Fleet Subaccount
A special fund established within the Dungeness Crab Account to manage and oversee spending related to the Dungeness crab task force.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be in the Dungeness Crab Fleet Subaccount.
  • It is unclear what specific late or non-return fees will be charged for steelhead trout cards.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 21).

  3. 2026-04-10 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  4. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    April 14 hearing postponed by committee.

  5. 2026-04-02 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 14.

  6. 2026-03-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  7. 2026-02-23 California Legislative Information

    Read first time.

  8. 2026-02-23 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.

  9. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1393, as amended, McGuire.
Commercial fishing: steelhead trout: Dungeness crab.
(1) Existing law requires a person taking steelhead trout in inland waters, in addition to a valid California sport fishing license and any applicable sport license stamp, to have in their possession a valid nontransferable steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law set the base fee for the card at $5 for the 2004 license year, subject to adjustment for inflation, as specified. Existing law requires revenues from the card to be deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and to be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to monitor, restore, or enhance steelhead trout resources consistent with specified law, and to administer the fishing report-restoration card program. Existing law requires the department to report to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2025, regarding
the steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card program’s projects undertaken using these revenues derived pursuant to that program, the benefits derived, and its recommendations for revising the fishing report-restoration card requirement, if any. These provisions are repealed as of January 1, 2027. Under existing law, any violation of the Fish and Game Code, or of any rule, regulation, or order made or adopted under that code, is a misdemeanor, except as provided.
This bill would increase the base fee for a steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card to $15 for the 2027 license year.
The bill would require a person who does not return a steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card by the date established by the department to be assessed a late or non-return fee, as provided.
The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature
regarding the fishing report-restoration card program’s projects on or before July 1,
2031, and on or before July 1, 2036,
2030,
and would extend the operation of the program until January 1,
2037.
2032.
Because this bill would extend the operation of the fishing report-restoration card requirements, the violation of which would be a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program.
(2) Existing law requires the department, in consultation with the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group and other stakeholders, to adopt regulations establishing
criteria and protocols to evaluate and respond to potential risk of marine life entanglement, as prescribed. Existing law authorizes the Director of Fish and Wildlife to restrict the take of Dungeness crab pursuant to the criteria and protocols. Existing law makes it unlawful to take or possess Dungeness crab from any waters closed, or otherwise violate any restriction on take imposed, pursuant to these provisions. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2030.
This bill would extend the operation of these, and related, Dungeness crab provisions until January 1, 2040. By extending the operation of existing provisions, a violation of which is a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a vessel to transit closed waters with Dungeness crab traps and Dungeness crab on board the vessel if specified conditions are met, as provided.
(3) Existing law
provides for the development and administration of a Dungeness crab task force. Existing law imposes various duties on the task force, including making specified recommendations to the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, the department, and the Fish and Game Commission. Existing law establishes the Dungeness Crab Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. Existing law requires, through the 2029 fiscal year, a specified sum to be allocated to the Ocean Protection Council to support the administration and facilitation of the Dungeness crab task force. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2030.
This bill would extend the operation of those task force provisions until January 1, 2040. The bill would establish the Dungeness Crab Fleet Subaccount within the Dungeness Crab Account. The bill would require the moneys in the subaccount to be managed and overseen by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and, upon an appropriation by the
Legislature, would require the moneys to be used to implement a spending plan that the bill would require the Dungeness crab task force to develop, as provided.
This bill would make the provisions relating to the subaccount inoperative on April 1, 2039, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2040.
(4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

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