Unfortunately, California's Fish and Game Commission regs are based on what COULD potentially survive and cause harm somewhere in the state, not what is LIKELY to survive and overwinter throughout the state. We're talking about a state that experiences climatological extremes from the Imperial Valley and Death Valley to the Modoc Plateau and the High Sierra. It doesn't matter that someone in Alturas or Truckee can't release a motoro and have survive a winter, someone could potentially release one in El Centro or San Diego and have it survive a mild winter or even just live during the spring, summer, and fall months.