The Derelict Vessels Act (SB 92), enacted in 2018, requires vessel owners register their vessels with the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Legislation to amend the Derelict Vessels Act (HB 28), which removes this requirement for commercial fishing vessels registered with the CFEC, failed to pass during the 2022 legislative session as the Senate failed to take action on the bill before the session ended. However, United Fishermen of Alaska has reached out to the Alaska State Troopers (AST) about what the fleet can expect from an enforcement perspective for this upcoming fishing season. According to Mike Potter with AST, the Troopers will not be issuing citations this season for commercial vessels who lack a DMV registration sticker as long as they have another numbering system in place (examples given included CFEC and USCG).
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On May 24, NOAA Fisheries announced it is increasing the assessment rate on the second purse seine buyback (“B”) loan from 1% to 2.5% for the upcoming 2022 Southeast salmon seine fishery due to the fact that the ‘B” loan is tracking behind the 40-year amortization schedule. The notice published in the Federal Register regarding the increase can be found here. The assessment rate for the first (“A”) loan will remain at 1% this season because the loan is ahead of the 40-year amortization schedule. Accordingly, the amount deducted from the ex-vessel value of the seine fishery to service both loans in 2022 will be 3.5% instead of 2% as was the case in 2021.
On May 5, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the allocation of $56 mil. for fisheries disasters in Alaska, including the 2020 Southeast Alaska, Norton Sound, Yukon River, Chignik, and Kuskokwim River salmon fisheries, and the 2021 Yukon River salmon fishery. This allocation of disaster relief funds is in response to Governor Dunleavy’s disaster assistance requests submitted to the Secretary on March 8, 2021, and September 14, 2021. The Secretary previously approved the Governor’s requests on January 22, 2022.