As the legislative session lumbers on in Juneau, an interesting bill has appeared that would make a big change in how people gain entry to Alaska's commercial fisheries.
House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, D-Sitka, would allow for the establishment of "regional fisheries trusts."
These trusts could hold fishery permits and lease them to Alaska resident fishermen "for a limited period of time," Kreiss-Tomkins says in his sponsor statement for the bill.
HB 188 aims to alleviate the problem of permits leaving rural Alaska communities, as well as the rising price of entering the fisheries.
The bill appears to be a modified version of the bill Kreiss-Tomkins offered last year to establish "regional community permit banks."
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15 comments:
Another attempt by our government to control private property. It's not stopping here folks, Washington will never quit.
It takes a lot more than a free permit to make a skipper. This proposed contortion will not solve the real problems, of which there are many. A huge one is the fact that even watershed residents no longer wish to live in region due to socio-economic realities. As the world changes, so do the anthropological truths. People move. Favorable state loans, numerous programs, and free grant monies don't even get the "local" job done. You cannot force a horse to drink the water.
another ALFA puppet
Less permits/ifqs in the market place only means higher prices. Of more long term value would be insisting local Alaskan school districts teach basic business classes and simple money management skills. JKT should work to that end, and not another permit/ifq banking scheme. Any rural banker which one might visit with will suggest the same.
Won't work. Will these trusts also provide boats, gear, insurance, start up capital? Permits are just one part of the puzzle. Several groups have been after the community trust scheme for a while. Its one of the issues that tanked the dragger rationalization in the gulf.
This bill, by way of Mr. Kriess-Tomkins, is brought to you by your friends at the BBEDC. In spite of their program below, they still see the need to re-write the limited entry laws...
Emergency Transfer Grant – With the goal of helping residents to gradually become permit owners, grants of up to 50% of the emergency transfer (lease) fee (not to exceed an established cap) for Bristol Bay limited entry drift and set permits are available to eligible BBEDC resident fishers. Among program requirements are the following: participants must demonstrate residency in a BBEDC CDQ community, meet income guidelines, have a market, must participate in financial counseling and operate on or with a vessel or site owned and/or operated by a resident of one of the Bristol Bay watershed communities. Participants may receive no more than a maximum of 3 grants except where progress can be demonstrated on a plan for ownership of a permit.
Another way to pad the retirement of permit holders. This will bar people from ever gaining ownership and just create investment tools and retirement tools for outside investors. Washington Crab has this problem already. People lease indefinitely. No incentive to pass the fishing rights on. This will increase the value of holding them and further keep new young fisherman from entering the industry.
Let's see, BBEDC owns Ocean Beauty Seafoods, now wants to own a fleet of Limited Entry Permits, what next, price controls? Company store? Sailboats only, dependant on monkey boat tows? Fishtraps? Ahh the good old days, when the company owned and controlled it all. If you don't know the history, you're doomed to repeat the mistakes.
How about a revote of that whole "limited entry" concept?
I am sure more than a few folks would be willing to vote down the limited entry provision - its like voting down Prohibition - it was the law for 40 years but now it is time to get back to being able to go fish when you want to fish...
Greying of the Fleet is only a problem if you like limited entry.
Alpha Seafoods is already entrenched in other fisheries. The company owns the quota, the boats and the crews are told what to catch and when to deliver.
That is where this is headed unless steps are taken to stop it.
Too many Homeroids to scuttle with limited entry.
JKT just does what ALFA suggests. More help for the Behnken kids.
what a world we have brought on our selves. Remember the mornings of "by hun, going fishing". I do.
a good place to start is keep the leasing of permits off the market. It BS that people can continue to lease their permit year after year.
Those are medical transfers 6:46, leasing has never been legal. "No Special Privileges"
**"Hardship" with respect to emergency transfers, means privation and suffering, and does not include the results of a permit holder's own economic decisions, nor the results of economic, biological or regulatory variables which are normally part of the risk of doing business as fishermen.
https://www.cfec.state.ak.us/forms/Request_for_Emergency_Transfer_of_Entry_Permit.pdf
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