Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, § 5.80 – Inland White Sturgeon.

(a) Open season:
1. (1) From October 1 through June 30: from the west Carquinez Bridge east to downstream of the confluence of the Feather River on the Sacramento River and downstream of the I-5 bridge on the San Joaquin River.
2. (2) From October 1 through December 31 of the same calendar year: upstream of the confluence of the Feather River to the Highway 162 Bridge on the Sacramento River and upstream of the I-5 bridge on the San Joaquin River.
3. (3) Year-round: all tributaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers are closed.
(b) Daily limit: Zero fish.
(c) Annual bag limit: zero fish per calendar year statewide.
(d) Methods of take: Only one single point, single shank, barbless hook may be used on a line when taking sturgeon. The sturgeon must voluntarily take the bait or lure inside its mouth. No sturgeon may be taken by trolling, snagging or by the use of firearms. Sturgeon may not be gaffed, nor shall any person use any type of firearm or snare to take any sturgeon.
For the purposes of this section, a snare is a flexible loop made from any material that can be tightened like a noose around any part of the fish.
(e) Handling and removal from water. Any sturgeon greater than 60 inches fork length may not be removed from the water and shall be released immediately. Sturgeon of any size shall not be held out of water suspended by the gills, gill plates, mouth, or solely by the tail, and shall not be dragged across the ground, boat decks, or piers. Lip gripper devices shall not be used on sturgeon.
(f) Sturgeon Fishing Report Card Required: All anglers must have a valid Sturgeon Fishing Report Card in their possession while fishing for white sturgeon. Anglers must complete and return the report card pursuant to regulations in this Section and in Section 1.74.
(g) Reporting Requirements for Released Fish:
1. (1) Reporting Requirements for Released Fish (report cards purchased prior to September 26, 2025).
  1. (A) Prior to beginning fishing activity, the cardholder must record the month, day, and location code on the first available line on the report card.
  2. (B) Whenever the cardholder catches and releases a sturgeon, the angler shall immediately record the month, day, and location code and species of sturgeon. Start a new line for every sturgeon caught and released.
  3. (C) If all lines in the “sturgeon released” field of the report card are filled, any additional sturgeon caught and released may be recorded on the back of the card.
  4. (D) If the sturgeon has a department reward disk attached, write the reward disk number in the space provided on the report card.
  5. (E) Cardholders shall return or report their sturgeon report cards to the department pursuant to subsection 1.74(e) by January 31 of the following year.
  6. (F) Any report card holder who fails to return or report their sturgeon report card to the department by the deadline may be restricted from obtaining the same card in a subsequent license year or may be subject to an additional fee for the issuance of the same card in a subsequent license year.
  7. (G) The annual fee for the Sturgeon Fishing Report Card is specified in Section 701(c).
2. (2) Reporting Requirements for Released Fish (report cards purchased on or after September 26, 2025).
  1. (A) Prior to beginning fishing activity, the cardholder must record the month, day, and location code on the first available line of the report card.
  2. (B) Whenever the angler catches and releases a sturgeon, the report card holder shall immediately record the catch in the appropriate column on the report card, according to the length and species of the fish.
  3. (C) When the cardholder moves to another location code, the angler must complete the line for the location they were fishing in and then start a new line for the new location.
  4. (D) At the end of the fishing trip, the cardholder shall record the number of hours fished in that location.
  5. (E) Report card holders shall return or report their sturgeon report card to the department pursuant to subsection 1.74(e) by July 31 after the season closes on June 30.
  6. (F) Any report card holder who fails to return or report their sturgeon report card to the department by the deadline may be restricted from obtaining the same card in a subsequent license year or may be subject to an additional fee for the issuance of the same card in a subsequent license year.
  7. (G) In the event an angler fills in all lines and returns a Sturgeon Fishing Report Card, an additional card must be purchased to continue to fish for white sturgeon. See Section 1.74(c)(6) The annual fee for the Sturgeon Fishing Report Card is specified in Section 701(c).
(h) Special North Coast District Sturgeon Closure (Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity and Siskiyou cos.). It is unlawful to take any sturgeon in the North Coast District at any time.
(i) Special Sierra and Valley District Sturgeon Closure from January 1 to December 31 (Shasta, Tehama, Butte and Glenn cos.).
1. (1) Sacramento River from Keswick Dam to the Highway 162 Bridge.
  1. (A) It is unlawful to take any sturgeon.
  2. (B) It is unlawful to use wire leaders.
  3. (C) It is unlawful to use lamprey or any type of shrimp as bait.
(j) Special Yolo Bypass Flood Control System Sturgeon Closure. It is unlawful to take any sturgeon in the Yolo Bypass, Toe Drain Canal, and Tule Canal upstream of Lisbon Weir at any time.
(k) For regulations on take and possession of white sturgeon in ocean waters as defined in Section 27.00, see Section 27.90.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 205, 265, 275, 399 and 2084, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 110, 200, 205, 265 and 2084, Fish and Game Code.

History

1. Amendment of subsections (b)-(d) filed 3-1-90; operative 3-1-90 (Register 90, No. 10).

2. Amendment of subsection (c) and Note filed 3-12-92; operative 3-12-92 (Register 92, No. 20).

3. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 12-22-92; operative 12-22-92 pursuant to sections 202 and 215, Fish and Game Code (Register 92, No. 52).

4. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 3-7-94; operative 3-7-94 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 94, No. 10).

5. Amendment of section heading and subsection (c), new subsection (f) and amendment of Note filed 3-20-2006 as an emergency; operative 3-20-2006 (Register 2006, No. 12). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 7-18-2006 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

6. Reinstatement of section as it existed prior to 3-20-2006 amendment by operation of Government Code section 11346.1(f) (Register 2006, No. 33).

7. Amendment of section heading and subsections (b) and (c) and new subsections (e)-(h) filed 2-28-2007; operative 2-28-2007 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2007, No. 9).

8. Amendment of subsection (e), repealer of subsections (e)(1)-(f)(2) and subsection relettering filed 3-14-2008; operative 4-1-2008 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2008, No. 11).

9. New subsections (h)-(h)(3) filed 2-9-2010; operative 3-1-2010 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2010, No. 7).

10. Amendment filed 12-27-2012; operative 1-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2012, No. 52).

11. Amendment of subsections (d) and (i) filed 2-23-2015; operative 2-23-2015 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2015, No. 9).

12. Amendment of subsection (d) and new subsection (j) filed 2-29-2016; operative 3-2-2016 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2016, No. 10).

13. Change without regulatory effect amending Note filed 8-8-2019 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2019, No. 32).

14. Amendment of section and Note filed 11-16-2023 as an emergency; operative 11-16-2023 (Register 2023, No. 46). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 5-14-2024 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

15. Amendment of section and Note refiled 5-15-2024 as an emergency; operative 5-15-2024 (Register 2024, No. 20). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 8-13-2024 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

16. Amendment of section and Note refiled 7-26-2024 as an emergency; operative 8-14-2024 (Register 2024, No. 30). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 11-12-2024 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

17. New first paragraph filed 9-6-2024 as an emergency; operative 9-6-2024 (Register 2024, No. 36). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 3-5-2025 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

18. Reinstatement of section as it existed prior to 7-26-2024 emergency amendment by operation of Government Code section 11346.1(f) (Register 2024, No. 46).

19. New first paragraph, including amendment of Note, refiled 2-3-2025 as an emergency; operative 3-6-2025 (Register 2025, No. 6). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 6-4-2025 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

20. Reinstatement of section as it existed prior to 2-3-2025 emergency amendment by operation of Government Code section 11346.1(f) (Register 2025, No. 23).

21. New first paragraph, including amendment of Note filed 6-10-2025 as an emergency; operative 6-10-2025 (Register 2025, No. 24). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 9-8-2025 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

22. Certificate of Compliance as to 6-10-2025 order, including amendment of section heading, section and Note, transmitted to OAL 9-26-2025 and filed 9-26-2025; amendments effective 9-26-2025 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2025, No. 39).