California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 1 - Fish and Game Commission-Department of Fish and Game
Subdivision 3 - General Regulations
Chapter 6 - Regulations for Implementation of the California Endangered Species Act and Native Plant Protection Act
Article 1 - Take Prohibition; Permits for Incidental Take of Endangered Species, Threatened Species and Candidate Species
Section 783.1 - Prohibitions

(a) No person shall import into this State, export out of this State or take, possess, purchase, or sell within this State, any endangered species, threatened species, or part or product thereof, or attempt any of those acts, except as otherwise provided in the California Endangered Species Act, Fish and Game Code Section 2050, et seq. ("CESA"), the Native Plant Protection Act, the Natural Community Conservation Planning Act, the California Desert Native Plants Act, or as authorized under this article in an incidental take permit.

(b) Subsection (a) applies to any species designated as a candidate species under Section 2074.2 of the Fish and Game Code if the Commission has issued notice under Section 2074.4.

(c) Department wildlife management activities. The possession or take of endangered, threatened, or candidate species by employees and agents of the Department for scientific, educational and management purposes, and for law enforcement purposes, is not prohibited.

(d) Take of insects. The take of insects and other invertebrates that are not fish as defined in the Fish and Game Code is not prohibited.