Fishing gear.

Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Game in the Resources Agency, and generally charges the department with the administration and enforcement of the Fish and Game Code. The department administers a commercial fishing licensing program and carries out various other functions relating to fishing. Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council, and requires the council, among other things, to coordinate activities of state agencies that are related to the protection and conservation of coastal waters and ocean ecosystems. This bill would require the department, by January 1, 2012, to include on all commercial fishing licenses and in all appropriate official brochures any toll-free telephone number or numbers, if available, for the purpose of reporting derelict fishing gear and any address or addresses, if available, for Internet Web sites that maintain a reporting system for derelict fishing gear. The bill would authorize the council to develop recommendations for the identification, removal, and disposal of derelict fishing gear and procedures that enable fishermen and fisheries to voluntarily recover, remove, and keep derelict fishing gear.