California Court Rules Bees Can Be Classified as Fish

A California judge ruled this week that bees can be classified as fish under a state law, but they are still biologically bees.

The decision came from the Third District Court of Appeal in California. The California Fish and Game Commission was not allowed to list insects under the California Endangered Species Act. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservancy, the Center for Food Safety, and the Defenders of Wildlife were represented by the law clinic.

The Xerces Society is celebrating the decision that insects and other animals are eligible for protection. The Court's decision allows California to protect some of its most critical pollinators, a step which will contribute to the resilience of the state's native flora and fauna.

Section 45 of the California Fish and Game Code defines a fish as a wild fish, mollusk, crustacean, invertebrate, amphibian, or part, spawning, or ovum of any animal. bees can be classified as fish since they are an insect. Section 2 states that the definitions in this chapter govern the construction of this code and all regulations adopted under this code, meaning that fish can be protected under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

CESA is an important tool that we must use to protect and restore threatened species. Sam Joyce from the Environmental Law Clinic said that the court's ruling ensured that the California Legislature's intent was to protect the full range of California's flora and fauna.

Bee pollination is one of the most important parts of Earth's flora and fauna. Bee populations are on the decline and this legal win helps to secure the protection of certain species in an incredibly creative way