(a) If a commercial passenger fishing boat is used to take salmon or has salmon aboard in ocean waters north of Point Arguello, there shall be on board that vessel a total number of commercial fishing salmon stamps sufficient to have at least one for the operator and one for each crewmember required by United States Coast Guard regulations, excepting an operator or a crewmember who is exempt from the commercial fishing salmon stamp requirement of Section 7860. The commercial fishing salmon stamps shall be affixed to either the commercial fishing licenses of the operator and the crewmembers or, pursuant to subdivision (b), to the vessel’s commercial passenger fishing boat license. No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, a commercial passenger fishing boat in violation of this subdivision. Vessels permitted as commercial salmon fishing vessels pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 8230) of Chapter 2 are exempt from the requirements of this subdivision.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 1053.1, the department may issue to the owner or operator of a vessel licensed pursuant to this article, upon application and payment of the fees prescribed in subdivision (c) of Section 7860, one commercial fishing salmon stamp for the operator and not more than one additional commercial salmon stamp for each crewmember required by the United States Coast Guard regulations. The commercial fishing salmon stamps issued under this subdivision shall be affixed to the vessel’s commercial passenger fishing boat license issued pursuant to this article.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 132, Sec. 141. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2024.)