(a) The department may issue permits, subject to restrictions and regulations that the department determines are desirable, to take or possess, in any part of the state, for scientific, educational, or propagation purposes, mammals, birds and the nests and eggs thereof, fish, amphibians, reptiles, or any other form of plant or animal life.

(b) The department may issue a permit that is valid for 36 months from the date of issuance on the payment of a nonrefundable application fee of one hundred dollars ($100) and a permit fee of three hundred dollars ($300), as adjusted under Section 713.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), the department may issue a permit without fee that is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance to authorize only the banding of birds and the exhibition of live or dead wildlife specimens by public zoological gardens, scientific, or educational institutions.

(d) (1) The department may issue a special student permit that is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance on the payment of a nonrefundable application fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) and a permit fee of fifty dollars ($50), as adjusted under Section 713, to any student in a school of collegiate level or a commercial fishing class who is required by an instructor to collect specimens used in laboratory work in the school under supervision and in connection with a course in wildlife research or in the conduct of wildlife investigations and studies on behalf of the public.

(2) All fish taken under permit for a commercial fishing class student shall be taken in accordance with state law, except that Sections 7850, 7880, and 7881 do not apply. All fish taken under a permit for a commercial fishing class student may be sold only to a person licensed to receive fish from commercial fishermen as provided in Section 8032 or 8033 or donated to a charitable institution. All funds received from the sale of the fish shall be used solely for the support of commercial fishing classes.

(e) It is not necessary for the holder of the permit to have a sport fishing or hunting license to collect any fish, amphibian, reptile, aquatic animal or plant, bird, or mammal for scientific, educational, or propagation purposes in this state.

(f) Nothing in this section authorizes any act which violates Section 597 of the Penal Code.

(g) A permit under this section does not authorize the taking of fish or mammals from the ocean waters of this state which are within the boundaries of any city if the city has filed with the department an objection to the taking.

(h) The adjustment of the nonrefundable application fee and permit fees pursuant to Section 713 that are specified in subdivisions (b) and (d) shall be applicable to permits issued on or after January 1, 2013.

(i) The department, by regulation, may adjust the amount of the fees specified in subdivisions (b) and (d) as necessary to fully recover, but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department relating to those permits.

(j) No permit under this section is required for species listed as threatened or endangered pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act, when an entity holds a valid permit or memorandum of understanding for the subject species and the proposed activities, issued pursuant to Section 2081.

(k) No permit under this section is required for fully protected species listed in Section 3511, 4700, 5050, or 5515 if the entity holds a valid memorandum of understanding issued by the department for the subject species and proposed activities, in accordance with the respective section.

(l) A permit or amendment issued pursuant to Section 1002 is not transferable between individuals or entities.

(m) If a permitholder fails to submit information or reports required in a permit, the department shall revoke an existing permit, and may decline to issue a permit to that person or entity in subsequent years.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 559, Sec. 13. (AB 2402) Effective January 1, 2013.)