Bill > SB609

This bill modifies California's Fish and Game Code to clarify and strengthen confidentiality provisions for commercial fishing records. Specifically, the bill requires that landing receipts, reports, and records related to fishing activities remain confidential, with only limited exceptions such as fish business identification numbers, commercial fishing license numbers, vessel registration numbers, and names being considered public information. The bill removes a previous provision that required persons with a marine aquaria receiver's license to submit electronic fish tickets, and it allows the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to share confidential information with federal agencies, research institutions, and under court orders, while maintaining strict protections for individual fishers' and businesses' data. The Legislature justifies these confidentiality measures by emphasizing the need to protect potentially sensitive or proprietary commercial fishing information while still collecting necessary data about fishing activities. The bill is designed to balance the privacy interests of commercial fishers with the state's need to track and manage marine resources effectively.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB609