Expenditures from the fish and wildlife propagation fund of any county may be made only for the following purposes:

(a) Public education relating to the scientific principles of fish and wildlife conservation, consisting of supervised formal instruction carried out pursuant to a planned curriculum and aids to education such as literature, audio and video recordings, training models, and nature study facilities.

(b) Temporary emergency treatment and care of injured or orphaned wildlife.

(c) Temporary treatment and care of wildlife confiscated by the department as evidence.

(d) Breeding, raising, purchasing, or releasing fish or wildlife that are to be released upon approval of the department pursuant to Sections 6400 and 6401 onto land or into waters of local, state, or federal agencies or onto land or into waters open to the public.

(e) Improvement of fish and wildlife habitat, including, but not limited to, construction of fish screens, weirs, and ladders; drainage or other watershed improvements; gravel and rock removal or placement; construction of irrigation and water distribution systems; earthwork and grading; fencing; planting trees and other vegetation management; and removal of barriers to the migration of fish and wildlife.

(f) Construction, maintenance, and operation of public hatchery facilities.

(g) Purchase and maintain materials, supplies, or equipment for either the department’s ownership and use or the department’s use in the normal performance of the department’s responsibilities.

(h) Predator control actions for the benefit of fish or wildlife following certification in writing by the department that the proposed actions will significantly benefit a particular wildlife species.

(i) Scientific fish and wildlife research conducted by institutions of higher learning, qualified researchers, or governmental agencies, if approved by the department.

(j) Reasonable administrative costs, excluding the costs of audits required by Section 13104, for secretarial service, travel, and postage by the county fish and wildlife commission when authorized by the county board of supervisors. For purposes of this subdivision, “reasonable cost” means an amount that does not exceed 15 percent of the average amount received by the fund during the previous three-year period, or ten thousand dollars ($10,000) annually, whichever is greater, excluding any funds carried over from a previous fiscal year.

(k) Contributions to a secret witness program for the purpose of facilitating enforcement of this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this code.

(l) Costs incurred by the district attorney or city attorney in investigating and prosecuting civil and criminal actions for violations of this code, as approved by the department.

(m) Costs incurred by a county counsel in investigating and prosecuting an action for civil penalties, injunctive relief, or civil penalties and injunctive relief pursuant to Section 5650.1 resulting from unlicensed cannabis cultivation.

(n) Other expenditures, approved by the department, for the purpose of protecting, conserving, propagating, and preserving fish and wildlife.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 56, Sec. 10. (AB 195) Effective June 30, 2022.)