Washington's Fairweather Fisheries challenges ban on using hired halibut skippers (Fish Radio)
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] November 13, 2014
A first lawsuit is challenging a new federal rule that aims to clamp down on the use of hired skippers who fish halibut and sablefish quota shares owned by others. The rule takes effect December 1 and will ban using a hired skipper to harvest any quota acquired after a cutoff date of Feb. 12, 2010.
Since the IFQ plan was put in place in 1995, the number of hired skippers has topped 50% and the quota owners have been charging high rents for the fish which has inflated the cost for IFQs. . The goal is to get back to a predominantly owner operated fleet that provides entry level opportunities for coastal Alaskans...
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