Where a fishery is closed or restricted due to the need to protect a fishery resource, marine mammals, or sea birds, or due to a conflict with other fisheries or uses of the marine environment, it shall be the policy of the department and the commission, consistent with budgetary and personnel considerations, to assist and foster the development of alternative fisheries or alternative fishing gear for those commercial fishermen affected by the restrictions, closures, or resource losses, including, but not limited to, the issuing of experimental fishing permits pursuant to Section 1022.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 477, Sec. 6. (AB 1573) Effective January 1, 2019.)