The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats. The department is also responsible for the diversified use of fish and wildlife including recreational, commercial, scientific and educational uses. The department also utilizes its law enforcement division to prevent and stop illegal poaching.
History
The first California fish and game act was passed in 1852 by the California State Legislature and signed into law by Governor John Bigler. The Game Act placed closed seasons on 12 counties for quails, partridges, mallards and wood duck, elk, deer, and antelope. Two years later in 1854, the Legislature extended the act to include all counties of California. In 1860, protection controls were extended for trout. In 1870, the Legislature, with the support of Governor Henry Huntly Haight, created the Board of Fish Commissioners. The Board stipulated that fish ladders were now required at state dams, explosives or other deleterious substances outlawed, and violations fixed for $500. In 1871 the state appointed the first Game Wardens to handle wildlife law enforcement, making the Enforcement Division of the Department of Fish and Game the very first State Law Enforcement Agency enacted in California for over 124 years of service. Over the next thirty years, the Board of Fish Commissioners were given authority over game, as well as establishing hunting and fishing licensing.
In 1909, the Board was reorganized into the California Department of Fish and Game.
Regional divisions
The Department of Fish and Game divides the State of California into seven management regions, whose boundaries mostly correspond to county borders (with the exception of Sacramento, Yolo and San Joaquin counties). They are:
- Northern Region: Del Norte, Humboldt, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties.
- North Central Region: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties.
- Bay Delta Region: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties.
- Central Region: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Tulare and Tuolumne counties.
- South Coast Region: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
- Inland Deserts Region: Imperial, Inyo, Mono, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
- Marine Region: includes the entire coastline of California.
Fish & Game Wardens
California Department of Fish & Game Wardens protect California's wildlife and natural resources. DFG Wardens are armed state law enforcement officers. They enforce California state laws related to hunting, fishing, pollution, endangered species, and wildlife habitat destruction. Vehicles DFG Wardens use range from the patrol pickup to boats, catamarans, four-wheelers, snow-mobiles, horses, helicopters, and planes. The wardens investigate, collect evidence, serve search warrants, arrest criminals, and ensure public safety. CDFG Wardens patrol the state of California and 200 miles (320 km) off the coast.
The Department of the Interior, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service appoint CDFG Wardens as U.S. Law Enforcement Officers. A few hundred CDFG Wardens patrol the state.
Marine Wardens
California Department of Fish and Game offshore patrol efforts are accomplished by a fleet of vessels including five 54 foot catamarans, two 65 foot monohulls and a variety of smaller rigid hull inflatables (RHIs). All the large boats are equipped with twin engines capable of pushing the vessels to over 25 knots. They are equipped with sophisticated electronics for detecting vessels and communications. Each large vessel is normally staffed by four personnel. These vessels are tasked with patrolling approximately 1100 miles of coastline. State waters extend to three miles offshore, but CDFG's patrol area extends to 200 miles because of Federal fisheries regulations that must also be enforced. This equates to a patrol responsibility of approximately 220,000 square miles; over 31,000 miles per boat.
While the primary duty of each vessel is fisheries enforcement, they have also been utilized for search and rescue, homeland defense, and support for public safety operations. After the events of September 11, the vessels were deployed in California's major ports to monitor activity and support the War on Terror. These patrols were conducted with United States Coast Guard and other local agencies to monitor vessel traffic and conduct vessel boardings to detect possible terrorist activity. CDFG personnel worked around the clock for several weeks after the initial attack in New York.
Working with Federal, State and local agencies, CDFG participated in the first terrorism drill on the West Coast involving a large cruise ship. Working with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, USCG, and local SWAT teams, CDFG boat crews reacted to a terrorist event aboard a cruise ship targeting the West coast. The drill was successful in establishing the protocols and identifying the resources available for such a crisis. Since this first drill, CDFG vessels and crews have participated in the escort of cruise ships in various ports throughout California. CDFG vessels and crew have also worked closely with USCG vessels to assist in other projects dealing with homeland security issues.
In September 2002, CDFG was recognized by the USCG and the US Department of Transportation for its efforts in assisting during the aftermath of 9/11. Frank Spear , the Chief of Enforcement for the vessel program accepted a newly minted "Transportation 9-11 Medal" from Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta. The medal was meant to honor CDFG's contribution to the protection of two of California's busiest ports, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Working with the USCG, various CDFG vessels patrolled San Francisco Bay protecting both the San Francisco and Oakland airports, bridge abutments and conducting vessel boardings. Other crews worked in Los Angeles assisting the USCG in securing munitions ships, cargo ships, oil tankers, cruise ships, and conducted background checks on crews and passengers.
While remaining vigilant for terrorist activity remains a priority, CDFG vessels have returned to their primary mission of fisheries enforcement. However, challenges remain that have affected the patrol effort. New legislation, such as the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA), the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and Federal fisheries legislation has over tasked the vessel program. Coupled with the shortage in the warden force, this has created problems for effective enforcement in the offshore environment. Vessels have been forced to remain tied to the dock because of personnel shortages. Most vessels are forced to "borrow" personnel from other districts. This, in turn, creates additional shortages. There must be a concerted effort to recruit and retain adequate personnel to staff the large patrol vessels as well as maintain coverage along our coastline. The resources must be allocated to effectively patrol our large area of responsibility. CDFG has the expertise to do this with proper support. It is critical to the protection of California's coastline that CDFG receive assets and personnel to do the job.
Special Operations Unit
The Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the California Department of Fish and Game is a team of wardens formed for the purpose of investigating, infiltrating and apprehending those who poach California's wildlife for profit.
The SOU focuses their efforts on priorities set by the Department. Investigating illegal commercialization of fish and wildlife is high priority. In addition, investigations are directed by the Supervisor of the SOU and those investigations focus on fragile species highly targeted by the black market.
The duties of an SOU warden are in much contrast to a uniformed warden. Much of the SOU's time is spent traveling extensively to different areas of the state wherever commercial cases occur. The duties include long term investigations required to successfully apprehend and prosecute the worst of the worst abusers of California resources The current SOU has taken many steps to enhance their investigative abilities with training in a wide variety of topics. Technology has moved to the forefront of many investigations with equipment such as GPS tracking units, infrared scopes, pen register phone taps, and much more. In some cases, the use of technological equipment save many personnel hours in an investigation, however, circumstances in other cases still require time intensive moving and stationary surveillance techniques, coupled with short and long term undercover infiltration of suspects.
The SOU wardens are also members of the Western States Wildlife Investigators (WSWI). WSWI members are made up of Wildlife Investigators from California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Idaho. California SOU has always been looked upon by these other states as being on the cutting edge in investigations and a unit to try to emulate. Supervisors of SOU are current members of a steering committee from WSWI responsible for the cr
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