Current through Register 2025 Notice Reg. No. 13, March 28, 2025
(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. Fillets must
have the entire skin attached. 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, cabezon, and
greenlings of the genus
Hexagrammos: Fillets must have the
entire skin attached. The minimum size and minimum fillet size for rockfish,
cabezon, and greenlings of the genus
Hexagrammos 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 have the
entire skin attached. 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).
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.
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.
