Existing law generally prohibits a person from possessing, importing, shipping, or transporting in the state, or from placing, planting, or causing to be placed or planted in any water within the state, invasive mussels and authorizes the Director of Fish and Wildlife or the director’s designee to engage in various enforcement activities with regard to invasive mussels, as provided. Existing law requires specified entities that own or manage a reservoir, as defined, where certain activities are permitted to monitor and prevent the introduction of invasive mussel species, as specified, and requires any entity that discovers invasive mussels in the state to report the discovery immediately to the department.

This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to, among other things, address and prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, including, but not limited to, the golden mussel, in California’s waterbodies and water infrastructure systems. The bill would also make various findings and declarations relating to aquatic invasive species.