Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 79186.5

The first handler of spiny lobster being assessed shall deduct the assessment from amounts paid by him or her to the fisherman, and shall be a trustee of these assessments until they are paid to the commission at the time and in the manner prescribed by the commission. The failure to collect the assessment from a fisherman shall not exempt the handler from liability. In addition, the failure of a handler to remit the collected fisherman assessments to the commission shall not relieve the fisherman of this obligation.