(a) No person engaged in business as a commercial fisherman or wholesale or retail fish dealer may possess in his place of business or on a boat or vehicle for commercial purposes aquatic products of greater or lesser length than set out in the applicable proclamations of the commission adopted under Chapter 61 or 66 of this code unless otherwise provided by this code or Chapter 134 of the Agriculture Code.
(b) This section does not prohibit a wholesale or retail fish dealer from processing and selling lawful aquatic products by cutting, filleting, wrapping, freezing, or otherwise preparing the aquatic products for market.
(c) The taking of aquatic products of greater or lesser length than set out in the applicable proclamations of the commission under Chapter 61 or 66 of this code on board a licensed commercial shrimp boat engaged in the taking of shrimp is not a violation of this section if the aquatic products of unlawful size are returned to the water from which they were taken in a manner to insure their best chance for survival.