Juneau watch

Legislators are holding a "lunch and learn" meeting at noon tomorrow on the topic of outmigration of limited entry fishing permits from rural Alaska.

Presenters include Rachel Donkersloot, of Coastal Cultures Research; Courtney Carothers, of the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences; and Joe Nelson, board co-chair, Alaska Federation of Natives.

Journalist Nathaniel Herz, of Northern Journal, last year published a lengthy article on the impact of state fishing permits being sold out of, or otherwise leaving, coastal Alaska villages.

Kids and permits

The Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission has launched a survey on minors owning commercial fishing permits. Take the survey here.

Kids who fish

Is it OK for kids to hold state commercial fishing permits?

In fact, a handful already do.

But what's the policy on minors holding permits?

It's a question the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission plans to address this year.

The agency, which issues permits for participating in dozens of Alaska fisheries, will conduct a review including a fleet survey and hearings, says Glenn Haight, commission chairman.

The goal isn't to keep kids off fishing vessels. Rather, it's to give the commission "a little more structure and process to follow when asked to allow a permit to go to a youngster," Haight said.

The commission's review could look at safety, economic advantage in fisheries, or other considerations. 

State regulations already address the issue to some degree. For example, the Alaska Administrative Code at 20 AAC 05.1707 states "there is a rebuttable presumption" a person acquiring most types of permits is "unable to participate actively in the fishery" if under the age of 16.

But the commission can, and has, issued permits to minors under 16, Haight said. He reckons maybe 10 such minors currently hold permits.

'Bad policy'

The Seattle-based Bristol Bay Fishermen's Association is no fan of House Bill 188, which would allow "regional fisheries trusts" to hold and lease limited entry permits.

Here is BBFA's letter to legislators.

Permits for lease

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."

Where do you live, really?

Here's an interesting memo from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission discussing the "serious concern" of false Alaska residency claims.

More fish-related legislation in Juneau

Another bill of interest to the commercial fishing industry has been filed ahead of Tuesday's start to the Alaska legislative session.

House Bill 241 is titled "An act relating to the nonresident surcharge for commercial fishing permits."

See the very end of the three-page bill for the key language.

The sponsor is Rep. Charisse Millett, R-Anchorage.

Buyback balloting under way

The voting period has opened for the proposed Southeast Alaska salmon seine permit buyback program.

Permit holders eligible to vote were mailed ballots on Thursday.

Voters must return their ballots by April 30.

If a majority of the 379 ballots come back in favor, the government will proceed with a buyback of 64 permits at a cost of $13.1 million.

Seiners remaining in the fishery will then repay the money over time.

For more information, click here.

How about a (bigger) loan?

Down in Juneau today, the House Special Committee on Fisheries has a 5 p.m. hearing scheduled on two interesting items.

The first is House Bill 261, which provides for larger state loans to help Alaska residents buy commercial fishing permits.

This sponsor statement explains more fully what the bill is about.

The Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp. has sent in a letter supporting HB 261.

Cordova District Fishermen United also likes the bill.

The second item on the committee's agenda is this resolution seeking to designate one sportfish seat and one subsistence seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Pair of fishy bills filed ahead of legislative session

The Alaska Legislature begins its 2012 session next Tuesday, and lawmakers have prefiled two bills of interest to the commercial fishing community.

House Bill 261 — An Act relating to loans for the purchase of commercial fishing entry permits. Sponsor: Rep. Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham.

Senate Bill 152 — An Act requiring legislative approval before the issuance of an authorization, license, permit, or approval of a plan of operation for a large-scale metallic sulfide mining operation that could affect water in or flowing into or over the Bristol Bay Fisheries Reserve. Sponsor: Sen. Hollis French, D-Anchorage.