(a) The department shall do both of the following:

(1) Consider authorizing apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas, where deemed appropriate by the department.

Terms Used In California Fish and Game Code 1745.2

  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Department: means the Department of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 37
  • Fish: means a wild fish, mollusk, crustacean, invertebrate, amphibian, or part, spawn, or ovum of any of those animals. See California Fish and Game Code 45
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Fish and Game Code 73
  • Take: means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill. See California Fish and Game Code 86
  • Wildlife: means and includes all wild animals, birds, plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and related ecological communities, including the habitat upon which the wildlife depends for its continued viability. See California Fish and Game Code 89.5

(2) Determine, when developing or amending its land management plans, the following:

(A) If the department-managed wildlife areas, or any portion of those areas, are suitable for apiculture and whether apiculture is consistent with the management goals and objectives for those areas on a temporary, seasonal, or long-term basis.

(B) If the administration of apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas, where deemed appropriate by the department, is meeting the management goals and objectives for those areas.

(C) The appropriate fee and lease rent to be assessed for conducting apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas. The amount of the fee shall be sufficient to recover, but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department. The lease rent shall take into account whether the lease is a nonexclusive use of the land.

(b) The department, in implementing this section, may consult with apiculture experts, including, but not limited to, the Department of Food and Agriculture, the University of California, other academic or professional experts, and interested stakeholders, when considering authorizing apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas consistent with the respective management goals and objectives for those areas.

(c) Moneys collected for conducting apiculture on department-managed wildlife areas pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall be deposited by the department into the Wildlife Restoration Fund or the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be used to support the management, maintenance, restoration, and operation of department-managed wildlife areas.

(d) The department may authorize the temporary placement of beehives on department-managed wildlife areas through simple lease or permit agreements specifying appropriate conditions. These agreements are not subject to competitive bidding requirements.

(e) The department may continue any authorization for apiculture on department-managed areas that it granted before January 1, 2015, without taking further action.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 115, Sec. 9. (AB 148) Effective July 22, 2021.)

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