(515 ILCS 5/20-35) (from Ch. 56, par. 20-35)

Sec. 20-35. Offenses.

(a) Except as prescribed in Section 5-25 and unless otherwise provided in this Code, any person who is found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this Code, including administrative rules, is guilty of a petty offense.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of Section 15-45 or 15-60, including administrative rules related to those Sections, is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of Section 5-20, 10-5, 10-10, 10-15, 10-20, 10-25, 10-30, 10-35, 10-50, 10-60, 10-70, 10-75, 10-95, 10-115, 10-135, 15-5, 15-10, 15-15, 15-20, 15-30, 15-32, 15-40, 15-46(b), 15-55, 15-60, 15-65, 15-80, 15-85, 15-90, 15-95, 15-100, 15-105, 15-110, 15-115, 15-120, 15-130, 20-70, 20-75, 20-80, 20-85 (except subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g)), 20-125(c), 25-5, 25-10, 25-15, or 25-20 of this Code, including administrative rules relating to those Sections, is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of Section 1-200, 1-205, 10-55, 10-80, 10-100(b), 15-35, 15-46(a), 15-135, 20-91, 20-92, 20-120, or 20-125(d) of this Code, including administrative rules relating to those Sections, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this Code, including administrative rules, during the 5 years following the revocation of his or her license, permit, or privileges under Section 20-105 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Any person who violates Section 5-25 of this Code, including administrative rules, is guilty of a Class 3 felony except as otherwise provided in subsection (a) of Section 5-25.

(b)(1) It is unlawful for any person to take or attempt to take aquatic life from any aquatic life farm except with the consent of the owner of the aquatic life farm. Any person possessing fishing tackle on the premises of an aquatic life farm is presumed to be fishing. The presumption may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence. All fishing tackle, apparatus, and vehicles used in the violation of this subsection (b) shall be confiscated by the arresting officer. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the seizure and confiscation procedures set forth in Section 1-215 of this Code shall apply. If the confiscated property is determined by the circuit court to have been used in the violation of this subsection (b), the confiscated property shall be sold at public auction by the county sheriff of the county where the violation occurred. The proceeds of the sale shall be deposited in the county general fund; provided that the auction may be stayed by an appropriate court order.

(2) A violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection (b) is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense.

(c)(1) It is unlawful for any person to trespass or fish on an aquatic life farm located on a strip mine lake or other body of water used for aquatic life farming operations, or within a 200 foot buffer zone surrounding cages or netpens that are clearly delineated by buoys of a posted aquatic life farm, by swimming, scuba diving, or snorkeling in, around, or under the aquatic life farm or by operating a watercraft over, around, or in the aquatic life farm without the consent of the owner of the aquatic life farm.

(2) A violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection (c) is a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense. All fishing tackle, apparatus, and watercraft used in a second or subsequent violation of this subsection (c) shall be confiscated by the arresting officer. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the seizure and confiscation procedures set forth in Section 1-215 of this Code shall apply. If the confiscated property is determined by the circuit court to have been used in a violation of this subsection (c), the confiscated property shall be sold at public auction by the county sheriff of the county where the violation occurred. The proceeds of the sale shall be deposited in the county general fund; provided that the auction may be stayed by an appropriate court order.

(d) Offenses committed by minors under the direct control or with the consent of a parent or guardian may subject the parent or guardian to the penalties prescribed in this Section or as otherwise provided in this Code.

(e) In addition to any fines imposed under this Section, or as otherwise provided in this Code, any person found guilty of unlawfully taking or possessing any aquatic life protected by this Code shall be assessed a civil penalty for that aquatic life in accordance with the values prescribed in Section 5-25 of this Code. This civil penalty shall be imposed at the time of the conviction by the Circuit Court for the county where the offense was committed. Except as otherwise provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of this Section, all penalties provided for in this Section shall be remitted to the Department in accordance with the provisions of Section 1-180 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 94-222, eff. 7-14-05; 94-592, eff. 1-1-06; 95-147, eff. 8-14-07; 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.)