(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, every person 16 years of age or older who takes any fish, reptile, or amphibian for any purpose other than profit shall first obtain a valid license for that purpose and shall have that license on his or her person or in his or her immediate possession or where otherwise specifically required by law or regulation to be kept when engaged in carrying out any activity authorized by the license. In the case of a person diving from a boat, the license may be kept in the boat, or in the case of a person diving from the shore, the license may be kept within 500 yards of the shore.

(b) (1) This section does not apply to an owner of privately owned real property, or the owner’s invitee, who, without providing compensation, takes fish for purposes other than profit from a lake or pond that is wholly enclosed by that owner’s real property and that is located offstream and does not at any time derive water from, or supply water to, any permanent or intermittent artificial or natural lake, pond, stream, wash, canal, river, creek, waterway, aqueduct, or similar water conveyance system of the state. Access and control of the real property shall be under the direct authority of the owner and not that of another person or entity.

(2) This subdivision does not, and shall not be construed to, authorize the introduction, migration, stocking, or transfer of aquatic species, prohibited species, or any other nonnative or exotic species into state waters or waterways. This subdivision does not supersede or otherwise affect any provision of law that governs aquaculture, including, but not limited to, the operation of trout farms, or any activity that is an adjunct to or a feature of, or that is operated in conjunction with, any other enterprise operated for a fee, including, but not limited to, private parks or private recreation areas.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 285, Sec. 109. Effective January 1, 2008.)