Section 500.

(a) The commission shall, by regulation, adopt guidelines to assist the director and the department in ascertaining the amount of civil penalties to be imposed pursuant to Section 2582 or 2583. The guidelines may include monetary amounts or ranges of monetary amounts that the commission finds are adequate to deter illegal actions and partially compensate the people of California for losses to the fish and wildlife resources from illegal transactions described in Section 2582 or 2583 for profit or personal gain.

(b) If the violation involves birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, or fish with a value in the aggregate of less than four hundred dollars ($400) and involves only the transportation, taking, or receipt of fish or wildlife taken or possessed in violation of this code, the guidelines shall provide that the civil penalty shall not exceed the maximum criminal fine provided by law for the violation in this code or ten thousand dollars ($10,000), whichever is less. For purposes of this section, "value" means the retail market value if a market value exists, the potential monetary gain to the accused or, for commercial species, the established retail market value.

(c) The guidelines shall include consideration of the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the prohibited acts committed, and the degree of culpability of the violator, including lesser penalties for acts which have little significant effect upon the resources and greater penalties for acts which may cause serious injury to the resources.

(d) Nothing in this chapter or in Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 2580) of Division 3 shall be used to establish a monetary value for fish or wildlife resources in connection with any development, project, or land or water use plan or activity as permitted by any federal, state, or local governmental activity. This chapter does not apply to any action brought to recover civil damages under Section 2014.

(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1059, Sec. 3.)