Public notice

Federal officials recently issued the following:

Public notice of fraudulent permit website

NOAA Fisheries is issuing a public notice because it has come to our attention that there is a fraudulent website claiming that it processes both state and federal fishing permits. The fraudulent website is commercialfishingpermits.us. Please do not use this website to apply for a state or federal fishing permit.

'Contrary to the public interest'

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has denied a permit for the proposed Pebble gold and copper mine near salmon-rich Bristol Bay.

Juneau watch

State Rep. Chris Tuck, D-Anchorage, has introduced a bill relating to "the delegation of authority to fish under a limited entry commercial fishing permit."

Southeast buyback approved

Southeast Alaska salmon purse seiners have voted to permanently retire another 36 permits from the fishery.

So says this brief announcement from the Southeast Alaska Seiners Association.

Another buyback vote for Southeast seiners

A federal notice published yesterday sets up another referendum on further reducing the number of Southeast Alaska purse seine salmon permits.

"The referendum, if approved, will result in a loan of $10.1 million and permanently retire an additional 36 permits from the fishery," the notice says.

The notice lists all the permit holders eligible to vote in the referendum.

The voting period will start Jan. 15 and end on Feb. 14.

A legal matter

The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that amortization of commercial fishing permits and quota shares may not be deducted from income for child support purposes.

Much more detail in this very interesting 18-page opinion.

Illicit halibut charter operator fined $15,000

An Anchorage resident who took customers fishing without the required halibut charter permit will pay a $15,000 fine to settle an enforcement action, federal authorities say.

Sidney Bouschor initially was assessed a $30,300 civil penalty following an undercover operation by NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement.

"Bouschor admitted the charge, but claimed an inability to pay the entire assessed penalty," says this press release. "After supplying the required financial documentation to NOAA, which was evaluated by a NOAA financial expert, NOAA's Office of General Counsel found it appropriate to settle the case for $15,000."

The press release, unfortunately, doesn't specify which port Bouschor was operating out of, or provide other details of the undercover operation.

Longliners propose further capacity reduction

Perhaps you remember how, in 2007, the Bering Sea freezer longliner fleet took on a $35 million federal loan to buy out three vessels.

Well, the fleet is now proposing to shoulder an additional $2.7 million loan to retire a latent permit and its fishing history.

The fleet would pay for the permit buyout with a small landings fee collected over 30 years.

The permit isn't associated with a vessel, so an additional boat would not be removed from the fishery.

And why would freezer longliners want to retire a latent, or inactive, permit?

"All vessels ... would benefit from a permit buyback because there will be less potential competition for the harvest," says this notice published July 30 in the Federal Register.

The notice, so far as I can tell, does not identify the permit owner.

With more than 30 large vessels, the freezer longliner fleet is a major player in Alaska's groundfish industry. It targets predominantly Pacific cod.

For the record

Here is the official notice on the results of the Southeast Alaska salmon seine permit buyback referendum.

The notice names the holders of the 64 permits to be purchased and retired using a $13.1 million federal loan.

More details on permit buyback vote

Here are the results from the Southeast Alaska salmon seine permit buyback referendum.

The bottom line is 215 permit holders voted in favor of the buyback, well in excess of the 190-vote majority needed.

Salmon seiners reportedly OK permit buyback

The Southeast Alaska Seiners Association is reporting that voters have approved the permit buyback "by a relatively wide margin."

More details as soon as we can gather them.

Bills aim to protect fishing permits from creditors

Below is a joint press release from Alaska's congressional delegation.

The legislation was filed as S. 608 in the Senate and H.R. 1210 in the House.

March 18, 2011

Alaska delegation introduces Maritime Lien Reform Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Alaska delegation on Thursday introduced the Maritime Lien Reform Act of 2011.

The legislation would protect fishermen who hold Alaska commercial fishing permits.

The legislation also would prohibit maritime liens from being imposed on permits and protect the right of fishermen to continue to earn a livelihood by engaging in commercial fishing. Similar legislation was introduced in 2006 and 2008 but neither bill became law.

"The legislation is imperative to protect all fishermen's ability to continue to make a living and provide income for their families and to meet their debts," Sen. Lisa Murkowski said. "It will keep fishermen on the water employed with the one asset in which they can keep earning a living and address their creditors."

"Commercial fishing is the backbone of the economy in Alaska's coastal communities and an individual's fishing permit needs to be protected," Sen. Mark Begich said. "This bill will prevent fishermen from having a lien slapped on their ability to fish, and allow them to work through problems they may have. It will help keep permits in local communities and keep fishermen working."

"Commercial fishing is one of the largest industries in our state and a valuable commodity not only to Alaska but to the country," Rep. Don Young said. "This bill protects fishermen's ability to make a profit and pay off their debts without taking away their prime source of income. Debts cannot be paid off if there are no earnings, so this legislation is a win-win for fishermen, creditors and Alaska."

Alaska law already prohibits liens on Alaska limited entry permits, but a court decision threw that into doubt by determining that a fishing license was subject to a maritime lien under federal admiralty law. The decision has become the rationale for attempts to take Alaska fishing permits in federal bankruptcy court and the legislation is the best way to protect these permits and fishermen.

The legislation would not only benefit Alaskan residents. There are over 13,000 individuals who hold Alaska commercial entry permits. While approximately 75 percent of the permits are held by Alaska residents, permit holders live in all 50 states.