California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 1 - Fish and Game Commission-Department of Fish and Game
Subdivision 1 - Fish, Amphibians and Reptiles
Chapter 4 - Ocean Fishing
Article 1 - Ocean and San Francisco Bay District
Fin Fish-Minimum Size Limits, Bag and Possession Limits and Seasons
Section 27.65 - Filleting of Fish on Vessels

Universal Citation: 14 CA Code of Regs 27.65

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) Definition of Fillet: For the purpose of this section a fillet is the flesh from one side of a fish extending from the head to the tail which has been removed from the body (head, tail and backbone) in a single continuous piece.

(b) Fish That May be Filleted: No person shall fillet on any boat or bring ashore as fillets any fish, except in accordance with the following requirements:

(1) Kelp bass, barred sand bass, and spotted sand bass: All fillets shall be a minimum of seven and one half inches in length. Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of skin.

(2) Barracuda: Fillets must be a minimum of 17 inches in length. Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of silver skin.

(3) Lingcod. Lingcod fillets must be a minimum of 14 inches in length. Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of skin. The minimum size and minimum fillet size for lingcod may be changed during the year or in-season by the department under the authority of subsection 27.20(e). See subsection 27.20(f) for additional information.

(4) White sea bass: Fillets must be a minimum of 19 inches in length. Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of silver skin.

(5) Pacific bonito: No more than 10 fillets of any length may be possessed. All bonito fillets possessed shall be considered a part of the allowable undersized tolerance of five bonito per day less than 24 inches fork length or weighing less than five pounds as provided in Section 28.32 of these regulations. All fillets shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of skin.

(6) California halibut taken from or possessed aboard a vessel south of Point Arena (Mendocino County): Fillets must be a minimum of 16 and three-quarter inches in length and shall bear the entire skin intact. A fillet from a California halibut (flesh from one entire side of the fish with the entire skin intact) may not be cut in half fillets. However, a fillet may be cut lengthwise in a straight line along the midline of the fillet where the fillet was attached to the vertebra (backbone) of the fish only if the two pieces of a fillet remain joined along their midline for a length of at least two inches at one end of the fillet.

(7) Yellowtail: Fillets must be a minimum of 17 inches in length, except not more than 10 fillets may be less than 17 inches. Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of skin.

(8) Rockfish: Fillets must have the entire skin attached. The minimum size and minimum fillet size for rockfish may be changed during the year or in-season by the department under the authority of subsection 27.20(e). See subsection 27.20(f) for additional information.

(9) California scorpionfish (commonly termed "sculpin"): Fillets must be a minimum of 5 inches. Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of skin. The minimum size and minimum fillet size for California scorpionfish may be changed during the year or in-season by the department under the authority of subsection 27.20(e). See subsection 27.20(f) for additional information.

(10) Ocean whitefish: Fillets must be a minimum of 6 and one half inches in length and shall bear the entire skin intact.

(11) For all species of tuna filleted on any boat or brought ashore as fillets south of a line running due west true from Point Conception, Santa Barbara County (34° 27' N. lat.) each fish must be individually bagged as follows:

(A) The bag must be marked with the species' common name.

(B) The fish must be cut into six pieces with all skin attached. These pieces are the four loins, the collar removed as one piece with both pectoral fins attached and intact, and the belly fillet cut to include the vent and with both pelvic fins attached and intact.

(12) California sheephead: Fillets must be a minimum of 6 and three-quarter inches in length and shall bear the entire skin intact.

(13) All other species except those listed in subsection (c) of this section: Each fillet shall bear intact a one-inch square patch of skin. The fillets may be of any size.

(c) Fish That May Not be Filleted, Steaked or Chunked: No person shall fillet, steak or cut into chunks on any boat or bring ashore as fillets, steaks or chunks the following: any species with a size limit unless a fillet size is otherwise specified in these regulations. California halibut may be filleted or brought ashore as fillets south of Point Arena (Mendocino County).

1. Amendment filed 1-20-83; designated effective tenth day thereafter (Register 83, No. 4).
2. Amendment of subsections (a) and (b) filed 1-22-86; designated effective 3-1-86 (Register 86, No. 6).
3. Amendment filed 10-16-91; operative 10-16-91 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 92, No. 5).
4. Amendment of subsection (b)(3) and NOTE filed 2-5-98; operative 3-1-98 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 98, No. 6).
5. Editorial correction of subsection (b)(7) (Register 98, No. 47).
6. New subsection (b)(7) and subsection renumbering filed 11-20-98; operative 12-20-98 (Register 98, No. 47).
7. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (c) filed 7-13-99 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 99, No. 29).
8. Amendment of subsections (b)(1) and (b)(3), new subsections (b)(8) and (b)(9), subsection renumbering, and amendment of subsection (c) filed 12-30-99; operative 12-30-99 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 99, No. 53).
9. Amendment of subsection (b)(3) filed 1-10-2002; operative 1-1-2002 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 215 (Register 2002, No. 2).
10. Amendment of subsection (b)(3) and NOTE filed 3-30-2004 as an emergency; operative 4-1-2004 (Register 2004, No. 14). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 7-30-2004 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
11. Certificate of Compliance as to 3-30-2004 order transmitted to OAL 7-28-2004 and filed 9-9-2004 (Register 2004, No. 37).
12. Amendment of subsections (b)(3), (b)(8) and (b)(9) and amendment of NOTE filed 12-27-2004; operative 1-1-2005 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2004, No. 53).
13. Amendment of subsections (b)(3), (b)(8) and (b)(9) filed 1-18-2007; operative 1-18-2007 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(c) (Register 2007, No. 3).
14. Amendment of subsections (b)(8) and (c) filed 2-28-2007; operative 2-28-2007 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2007, No. 9).
15. Amendment of subsections (b)(3) and (b)(8)-(9) filed 6-9-2011; operative 6-9-2011 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2011, No. 23).
16. Amendment of subsection (c) filed 9-22-2011; operative 9-22-2011 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2011, No. 38).
17. Amendment of subsection (b)(1), new subsection (b)(10), subsection renumbering and amendment of NOTE filed 1-8-2013; operative 3-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4) (Register 2013, No. 2).
18. Amendment of subsection (a)(8) filed 2-14-2013; operative 3-1-2013 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2013, No. 7).
19. Amendment of subsections (b)(3) and (b)(8)-(9) and amendment of NOTE filed 3-10-2015; operative 3-10-2015 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2015, No. 11).
20. New subsections (b)(11)-(b)(11)(B), subsection renumbering and amendment of NOTE filed 7-29-2015; operative 7-29-2015 pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 202 and Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4) (Register 2015, No. 31).
21. New subsection (b)(12), subsection renumbering and amendment of NOTE filed 3-28-2019; operative 4-1-2019 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2019, No. 13).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 205, 265, 313, 5508 and 5509, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 200, 205, 265, 313, 399, 5508 and 5509, Fish and Game Code.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. California may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.