Cal. Health & Safety Code § 42406

To secure a civil penalty imposed pursuant to this article on the operation of a vessel, the district shall have a lien on the vessel which may be recovered in an action against the vessel in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 (commencing with Section 490), Chapter 2, Division 3 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, except that no undertaking shall be required to be filed by the district board as a condition to the issuance of a writ of attachment.