Department of Fish and Game Statistics

The Department of Fish and Game's, License and Revenue Branch (LRB) is responsible for the design, procurement, distribution and sale of more than 150 types of licenses and permits and the associated revenue collection. The DFG enlists approximately 2000 retail license agents that vary in size from "mom and pop" stores in rural areas, to large sporting goods stores in urban areas. The LRB maintains a list of these agents including their locations and phone numbers at  http://dfginternal5.dfg.ca.gov/lasweb/.

The following is a brief description of the licensing data in the attached tables.  License sales date is organized by license type and license year.  Spreadsheets include fees, number issued and revenue.

SPORT FISHING 

Sport fishing licenses are valid January 1 through December 31. More than 2 million anglers purchase some type of California fishing license each year.

HUNTING 

Hunting licenses are valid July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Portions of this money are dedicated to specific wildlife programs, such as improving waterfowl nesting and rearing habitat or conducting annual big game population surveys.

The LRB conducts a variety of drawings throughout the year to award limited numbers of big game hunting tags and waterfowl hunting area reservations. In mid-June, for example, approximately 77,000 hunters applied for big game tag drawings, including premium deer, elk, antelope, and bighorn sheep tags). Drawings are also conducted from September through January for reservations to hunt waterfowl on State-operated wildlife areas. Each waterfowl season, the LRB receives approximately 650,000 applications, and awards approximately 60,000 reservations.

COMMERCIAL FISH BUSINESSES

Commercial fish business licenses are valid from January 1 through December 31. These licenses are sold at eight Department offices.

COMMERCIAL FISHING

Commercial fishing licenses, permits and registrations are valid from April 1 through March 31. These licenses are sold at eight Department offices.

SPECIAL LICENSES AND PERMITS

Special permits, licenses, registrations, and stamps are valid at different times throughout the year. These licenses are issued only at the LRB in Sacramento and are required for the taking, buying, selling, breeding, viewing, possessing, studying, and collecting of certain animals. The LRB maintains a database of aquaculturists, biological supply houses, falconers, fallow deer farmers, game breeders, guides, hunting clubs, native amphibian and reptile propagators, restricted species permittees, scientific collectors, and trappers.

 

INDEX TO HISTORICAL SALES DATA
LICENSE STATISTICS
sport Fishing Licenses			Hunting Licenses
Fees	Number Issued	Revenue	Fees	Number Issued	Revenue
10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's
COmmercial Fishing Licenses & Permits			Special Licenses and Permits
Fees	Number Issued	Revenue	Fees	Number Issued	Revenue
10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's	10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's
Commercial Fish Business Licenses
	Fees Number Issued Revenue 10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's 10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's 10_yr. 1990's 1980's 1970's

COUNTY SALES STATISTICS

County Statistics are based on county of issuance not county of customer residence.  Sales listed as undistributed inventory occur at chain agents that report statewide sales through a single location.  County sales are a static snapshot and the total sales may not exactly match the 10 year item sales figures also accessible from this page. Sport Fishing   Annual Resident 1992-2004, 2005 Nonresident 1992-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Resident Pacific Ocean-Only 1992-2001, 2002, 2003, discontinued after 2003 Short Term One-Day Sport Fishing 2004, 2005 Two-Day Sport Fishing 1999-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Ten-Day Nonresident Sport Fishing License 1996-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 One-Day Pacific Ocean-Only 1992-2001, 2002, 2003, discontinued after 2003 One-Day Pacific Ocean-Only with Ocean Enhancement Stamp 1992-2001, 2002, 2003, discontinued after 2003 Stamps and Harvest Cards Abalone Report Card 1998-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Bay-Delta Sport Fishing Enhancement Stamp 2004, 2005 Second-Rod Stamp 1995-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Sport Salmon Punch Card 1992-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Steelhead Report Card 1992-2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Striped Bass Stamp 1992-1994, 1998-2001, 2002, 2003, discontinued after 2003