HB 206: "An Act relating to a vessel-based commercial fisheries limited entry system, to management of offshore fisheries, and to the definition of 'person' for purposes of the commercial fisheries entry program; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 206 01 "An Act relating to a vessel-based commercial fisheries limited entry system, to 02 management of offshore fisheries, and to the definition of 'person' for purposes of the 03 commercial fisheries entry program; and providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 06 to read: 07 FINDINGS. The legislature finds that 08 (1) the conventional commercial fisheries limited entry system, which limits 09 the entry of natural persons into a fishery, may not adequately protect the economic health 10 and stability of certain fisheries in this state; 11 (2) a system that limits the number of vessels that may engage in a fishery 12 may be necessary to regulate certain existing, developing, or future fisheries in order to 13 promote the conservation and sustained yield management of Alaska's fishery resource and 14 the economic health and stability of commercial fishing in this state;
01 (3) the existing moratorium on entry of new vessels into the Bering Sea 02 Korean hair crab fishery (AS 16.43.901) expires on June 30, 2003, and the existing vessel 03 moratorium for the weathervane scallop fisheries in state waters (AS 16.43.906) expires on 04 June 30, 2004; 05 (4) the United States Department of Commerce has taken action to restrict 06 access to groundfish, crab, and scallop fisheries in the waters of the United States exclusive 07 economic zone adjacent to the state water of Alaska using a vessel-based limited entry 08 system; 09 (5) a vessel-based limited entry system may be necessary to facilitate state 10 management of fisheries that overlap with federally managed fisheries in the United States 11 exclusive economic zone, especially for fisheries under a federal limited entry system; and 12 (6) a vessel-based limited entry system may be necessary to achieve 13 compatible state and federal management and enforcement of fisheries. 14 * Sec. 2. AS 16.43 is amended by adding new sections to read: 15 Article 6A. Vessel Permit System. 16 Sec. 16.43.450. Vessel permit system. (a) The commission may establish a 17 vessel permit system for a fishery under state management if the commission 18 determines that 19 (1) the regulation of entry into the fishery is necessary to achieve the 20 purposes of this chapter; 21 (2) a vessel permit system would achieve the purposes of this chapter; 22 and 23 (3) limiting the number of participants in the fishery under 24 AS 16.43.140 - 16.43.330 would not achieve the purposes of this chapter. 25 (b) The commission may establish a vessel permit system for a fishery that 26 occurs in the United States exclusive economic zone or both the United States 27 exclusive economic zone and state waters if the conditions set out in (a)(1) and (2) of 28 this section are satisfied and if regulating the number of vessels in the fishery would 29 enable the state to gain or retain management of the fishery; in making a determination 30 under this subsection, the commission shall consider relevant provisions of federal 31 fishery management plans.
01 (c) For a fishery in which the federal government has delegated management 02 authority in the United States exclusive economic zone to the state, the commission 03 may, to the extent consistent with this chapter, adopt regulations to ensure that the 04 vessel permit system is consistent with applicable federal laws. 05 (d) If the commission establishes a vessel permit system for a fishery that 06 involves more than one fishery resource, type of gear, or administrative area, the 07 commission may limit, as the commission determines appropriate, the fishery 08 resources that may be harvested under the vessel permit, the types of gear that may be 09 used under the vessel permit, or the areas where fishing may occur under the vessel 10 permit. The commission shall adopt criteria, as appropriate, for determining 11 (1) how restrictions on fishery resources, types of gear, and areas 12 fished are established for individual vessel interim-use permits and vessel entry 13 permits; and 14 (2) how eligibility to take a particular fishery resource, to use a 15 particular type of gear, or to fish in a particular area is established. 16 (e) The commission may, after consultation with the Department of Fish and 17 Game, regulate the fishing capacity or effort authorized under a vessel interim-use 18 permit or a vessel entry permit if the commission finds that limitations on fishing 19 capacity or effort are necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter. The 20 commission shall adopt criteria, as appropriate, for measuring the fishing capacity or 21 effort of a vessel and for determining how restrictions on vessel fishing capacity or 22 effort are established for individual vessel interim-use permits and vessel entry 23 permits. The criteria may be based on past participation. 24 (f) The commission shall adopt regulations limiting the number of vessel 25 permits that may be held by a permit holder or group of related permit holders if the 26 commission finds that limiting the number of vessel permits that may be held by a 27 permit holder or group of related permit holders is necessary to prevent the excessive 28 concentration of ownership of vessel permits in a fishery. 29 Sec. 16.43.460. Initial issuance of vessel permits. (a) For each fishery in 30 which the commission establishes a vessel permit system, the commission shall 31 establish qualifications for vessel interim-use permits and vessel entry permits. The
01 qualifications may include a qualification date, eligibility period, recent participation 02 requirements, minimum requirements for the nature and degree of ownership interest 03 that a permit holder must have in a vessel in order to receive a vessel permit for the 04 vessel, and criteria for receiving transferable and nontransferable vessel entry permits. 05 In adopting qualifications for transferable and nontransferable vessel entry permits, the 06 commission shall consider 07 (1) information provided by the Department of Fish and Game, 08 participants in the fishery, owners of vessels and gear used in the fishery, and other 09 interested parties; 10 (2) the level of past participation and harvest in the fishery, the nature 11 of the fishery, and the need to ensure the manageability of the fishery and conservation 12 of the fishery resource. 13 (b) If the commission establishes a vessel permit system under AS 16.43.450 - 14 16.43.520 for a fishery that is subject to a moratorium on entry of new vessels under 15 AS 16.43.901 or 16.43.906, the commission may incorporate some or all of the vessel 16 eligibility criteria established for the moratorium into the eligibility criteria for vessel 17 permits issued under the vessel permit system. 18 (c) Pending the issuance of vessel entry permits for a fishery for which the 19 commission has established a vessel permit system, the commission shall issue a 20 vessel interim-use permit to the owner of each vessel that the commission finds is 21 potentially eligible to receive a vessel entry permit. A vessel interim-use permit is 22 renewable from year to year; however, a vessel interim-use permit expires at the end 23 of the period for which the permit was issued and may not be renewed after a final 24 determination by the commission that the vessel is or is not eligible for a vessel entry 25 permit. 26 (d) The commission shall issue vessel entry permits for a fishery, subject to 27 conditions established by the commission under AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520, to the 28 owner of each vessel that the commission finds is eligible to receive a vessel entry 29 permit for that fishery. 30 (e) The commission shall adopt regulations regarding 31 (1) the determination of which person or entity is eligible to receive a
01 vessel interim-use permit or a vessel entry permit for a vessel in the event of 02 competing claims to ownership of the vessel; 03 (2) the substitution of another vessel by the applicant for a vessel 04 interim-use permit or a vessel entry permit if the vessel used to establish eligibility for 05 a vessel entry permit is lost before the initial issuance of a vessel entry permit for the 06 vessel. 07 Sec. 16.43.470. Optimum number range of vessel permits. (a) If, after the 08 initial issuance of vessel entry permits for a fishery, the commission determines that a 09 long-term biological or economic change has occurred in the fishery, the commission, 10 in consultation with the Department of Fish and Game, shall establish the optimum 11 number range of vessel entry permits for the fishery. 12 (b) In determining the optimum number range of vessel entry permits, the 13 commission shall seek to 14 (1) facilitate sound management of the fishery; 15 (2) promote 16 (A) the economic health and stability of the fishery; 17 (B) broad access to the fishery; 18 (C) conservation of the resource; 19 (D) quality seafood products; and 20 (3) discourage waste of harvested fish. 21 (c) The commission may increase or decrease the optimum number range of 22 vessel entry permits for a fishery if the commission finds that an established long-term 23 change in the biological or economic condition of the fishery has occurred and that the 24 number of vessel entry permits that are necessary to achieve the goals set out in (b) of 25 this section has substantially changed. 26 (d) If the optimum number range of vessel entry permits is less than the 27 number of outstanding vessel permits for the fishery, the commission may adopt 28 regulations to allow the voluntary consolidation of vessel entry permits by permit 29 holders, including entities. The commission may investigate procedures to 30 permanently reduce the number of vessel permits issued for a fishery to within the 31 optimum number range.
01 (e) If the optimum number range of vessel entry permits is greater than the 02 number of permits authorized for the fishery, the commission shall issue additional 03 vessel entry permits until the number of vessel entry permits is consistent with the 04 optimum number range for the fishery. The commission shall obtain fair market value 05 for new vessel entry permits issued under this subsection. The commission shall 06 determine whether the additional vessel entry permits issued under this subsection are 07 transferable or nontransferable. 08 Sec. 16.43.480. Transfer and expiration of vessel entry permits. (a) The 09 commission may adopt regulations authorizing the transfer of a transferable vessel 10 entry permit to an eligible transferee. The transferee of a vessel entry permit must 11 have a legal ownership interest in the vessel identified on the vessel entry permit. The 12 commission may establish by regulation the minimum requirements for the nature and 13 degree of ownership interest that the transferee must have in the vessel. 14 (b) Except as provided under (c) of this section, a person or entity that 15 received a transferable vessel entry permit upon the initial issuance of vessel entry 16 permits for a fishery may not transfer the permit to another entity. For purposes of this 17 subsection, a transfer to an entity includes a change in the entity to which the permit 18 was issued. Except for a publicly held corporation, the addition of a new shareholder 19 or partner to the entity, other than a trustee appointed by a court to act on behalf of a 20 shareholder or partner who becomes incapacitated, constitutes a change in the entity. 21 A transfer of a vessel entry permit in violation of this subsection suspends the permit 22 by operation of law until the permit is transferred to a person or back to the original 23 entity and the transfer is approved by the commission. 24 (c) Notwithstanding (b) of this section, the commission may authorize a 25 transferable vessel entry permit for a fishery to be transferred by a person or entity to 26 an entity if 27 (1) the entity to which the permit is to be transferred received a vessel 28 entry permit for the fishery at the time of initial issuance of vessel entry permits for 29 the fishery; 30 (2) the vessel entry permit is to be issued for a vessel for which the 31 entity receiving the permit already holds a vessel entry permit for the fishery; and
01 (3) the transfer of the vessel entry permit is consistent with 02 AS 16.43.520(b). 03 (d) The commission may adopt regulations authorizing the simultaneous 04 transfer of a transferable vessel entry permit to an eligible transferee and the 05 substitution of another vessel for the vessel identified on the permit under 06 AS 16.43.490. 07 (e) The commission may prohibit the involuntary transfer of a vessel entry 08 permit. 09 (f) The commission shall adopt regulations relating to the expiration of 10 nontransferable vessel entry permits. 11 Sec. 16.43.490. Substitution of vessels. (a) The commission may adopt 12 regulations providing for the permanent or temporary substitution, after the initial 13 issuance of vessel entry permits, of another vessel for the vessel that is identified on a 14 vessel entry permit. A permit holder must have a legal ownership interest in the vessel 15 that is permanently substituted for the vessel identified on the permit. Upon the 16 approval of a permanent substitution of a vessel, the commission shall issue a new 17 vessel entry permit for the substituted vessel. The commission may require that the 18 permit holder have an ownership interest in a temporarily substituted vessel. The 19 commission may specify by regulation the nature and degree of ownership interest that 20 a permit holder must have in a substitute vessel. 21 (b) A substituted vessel and the operation of the substituted vessel are subject 22 to all terms and conditions attached to the vessel entry permit at the time that the 23 vessel permit is transferred from the original vessel to the substituted vessel. 24 Sec. 16.43.500. Renewal of vessel permits. (a) A vessel interim-use permit 25 or vessel entry permit is issued for one year and must be renewed annually. 26 (b) A vessel interim-use permit or vessel entry permit may not be renewed 27 until the fees for each preceding year during which the permit has not been renewed 28 are paid. 29 (c) A vessel entry permit issued to an entity may not be renewed if the permit 30 is suspended by operation of law under AS 16.43.480(b). 31 (d) Failure to renew a vessel entry permit for two consecutive years from the
01 year of last renewal results in a forfeiture of the permit unless the forfeiture is waived 02 by the commission for good cause. If an administrative closure of a fishery occurs for 03 an entire season, the commission may not count the season toward the two-year 04 period. 05 Sec. 16.43.510. Vessel permit fees. (a) The commission shall establish fees 06 for the issuance and annual renewal of vessel interim-use permits and vessel entry 07 permits. Annual fees established under this subsection may not exceed $2,500 and 08 shall reasonably reflect the rate of economic return for the fishery. 09 (b) The commission shall waive the payment of the annual fees for a vessel 10 interim-use permit or a vessel entry permit for a fishery in which there was an 11 administrative closure for the entire season. 12 (c) Subject to AS 37.10.050(a), the commission may establish fees for 13 processing applications for vessel interim-use permits and vessel entry permits, for 14 transfer of vessel entry permits, and for permanent and temporary substitution of 15 vessels. 16 (d) The commission may charge interest at a rate not to exceed the legal rate 17 of interest established in AS 45.45.010(a) on fees established under the section that are 18 more than 60 days overdue. 19 Sec. 16.43.520. General vessel permit provisions. (a) A person or entity 20 may not operate a vessel or use a vessel to take fish in a commercial fishery for which 21 a vessel interim-use permit or vessel entry permit is required unless the appropriate 22 vessel permit has been issued for the vessel and is posted in a prominent location on 23 the vessel. A vessel entry permit holder, other than an entity or a person who received 24 the permit at the time of initial issuance of vessel entry permits for the fishery, shall be 25 physically present on the vessel while the vessel is engaged in the fishery for which 26 the vessel entry permit was issued. 27 (b) A person or entity may not hold more than one vessel entry permit for a 28 fishery unless 29 (1) the number of vessel entry permits held by the person or entity is 30 consistent with regulations of the commission regarding concentration of ownership of 31 vessel permits in the fishery; and
01 (2) either 02 (A) the person or entity qualified for each vessel entry permit at 03 the time of the initial issuance of vessel entry permits for the fishery; or 04 (B) the vessel entry permits are issued for a vessel for which 05 the person or entity already holds another vessel entry permit for that fishery. 06 (c) The operator of a vessel for which a vessel interim-use permit or vessel 07 entry permit has been issued shall comply with the terms of the vessel permit while the 08 vessel is operated in the fishery for which the permit is issued. 09 (d) A vessel interim-use permit and a vessel entry permit constitute a use 10 privilege that may be modified or revoked by order of the commission or by law 11 without compensation. 12 (e) AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520 do not alter the requirement for an interim-use 13 permit or entry permit under AS 16.43.140 or a vessel license under AS 16.05.490 - 14 16.05.520. 15 (f) Nothing in AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520 limits the powers of the Board of 16 Fisheries or the Department of Fish and Game. 17 (g) Notwithstanding AS 16.05.815 and AS 16.43.975, the commission may 18 release to the owner of a vessel information on the vessel's history of harvests in a 19 fishery that is necessary to apply for a vessel interim-use permit or vessel entry permit 20 under AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520. 21 * Sec. 3. AS 16.05.735 is amended to read: 22 Sec. 16.05.735. Management of offshore fisheries. The state may assume 23 management of a fishery [THE SCALLOP FISHERIES] in offshore water adjacent to 24 the state in the absence of a federal fishery management plan for the fishery 25 [SCALLOPS] or in the event that a federal fishery management plan for the fishery 26 [SCALLOPS] delegates authority to the state to manage the fishery [SCALLOP 27 FISHERIES] in the United States exclusive economic zone. 28 * Sec. 4. AS 16.43.010(a) is amended to read: 29 (a) It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the conservation and the 30 sustained yield management of Alaska's fishery resource and the economic health and 31 stability of commercial fishing in Alaska by regulating and controlling entry of
01 participants and vessels into the commercial fisheries in the public interest and 02 without unjust discrimination. 03 * Sec. 5. AS 16.43.100(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) To accomplish the purposes set out in AS 16.43.010, the commission shall 05 (1) regulate entry into the commercial fisheries for all fishery resources 06 in the state; 07 (2) establish priorities for the application of the provisions of this 08 chapter to the various commercial fisheries of the state; 09 (3) establish administrative areas suitable for regulating and 10 controlling entry into the commercial fisheries; 11 (4) establish, for all types of gear, the maximum number of entry 12 permits for each administrative area; 13 (5) designate, when necessary to accomplish the purposes of this 14 chapter, particular species for which separate interim-use permits or entry permits will 15 be issued; 16 (6) establish qualifications for the issuance of entry permits; 17 (7) issue entry permits to qualified applicants; 18 (8) issue interim-use permits as provided in AS 16.43.210, 16.43.220, 19 and 16.43.225; 20 (9) establish, for all types of gear, the optimum number of entry 21 permits for each administrative area; 22 (10) administer the buy-back program provided for in AS 16.43.310 23 and 16.43.320 to reduce the number of outstanding entry permits to the optimum 24 number of entry permits; 25 (11) provide for the transfer and reissuance of entry permits to 26 qualified transferees; 27 (12) provide for the transfer and reissuance of entry permits for 28 alternative types of legal gear, in a manner consistent with the purposes of this 29 chapter; 30 (13) administer the collection of the annual fees provided for in 31 AS 16.43.160;
01 (14) administer the issuance of commercial fishing vessel licenses 02 under AS 16.05.490; 03 (15) issue educational entry permits to applicants who qualify under 04 the provisions of AS 16.43.340 - 16.43.390; 05 (16) establish reasonable user fees for services; 06 (17) issue landing permits under AS 16.05.675 and regulations adopted 07 under that section; 08 (18) establish and collect annual fees for the issuance of landing 09 permits that reasonably reflect the costs incurred in the administration and 10 enforcement of provisions of law related to landing permits; [AND] 11 (19) establish a moratorium on entry into commercial fisheries as 12 provided in AS 16.43.225; and 13 (20) administer the vessel permit system authorized under 14 AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520. 15 * Sec. 6. AS 16.43.240(b) is amended to read: 16 (b) When the commission finds that a fishery, not designated as a distressed 17 fishery under AS 16.43.230 or not subject to a moratorium under AS 16.43.225, has 18 reached levels of participation that require the limitation of entry under AS 16.43.140 19 - 16.43.330 in order to achieve the purposes of this chapter, the commission shall 20 establish the maximum number of entry permits for that fishery. 21 * Sec. 7. AS 16.43.240(c) is amended to read: 22 (c) When the commission finds that a fishery subject to a moratorium under 23 AS 16.43.225 has reached levels of participation that require the limitation of entry 24 under AS 16.43.140 - 16.43.330 in order to achieve the purposes of this chapter, the 25 commission shall establish the maximum number of entry permits for that fishery. 26 * Sec. 8. AS 16.43.960(a) is amended to read: 27 (a) The commission may revoke, suspend, or transfer all entry or interim-use 28 permits, vessel entry permits, or vessel interim-use permits held by a person or 29 entity who knowingly provides or assists in providing false information, or fails to 30 correct false information provided to the commission for the purpose of obtaining a 31 benefit for self or another, including the issuance, renewal, duplication, or transfer of
01 an entry or interim-use permit, [OR] vessel license, vessel entry permit, or vessel 02 interim-use permit. The commission may suspend, as appropriate, that person's or 03 entity's eligibility to hold an entry or interim-use permit, vessel entry permit, or 04 vessel interim-use permit for a period not to exceed three years, and may impose an 05 administrative fine of not more than $5,000 on the person or [. THE COMMISSION 06 MAY ALSO IMPOSE AN ADMINISTRATIVE FINE OF NOT MORE THAN 07 $5,000 ON AN] entity whose officers, employees, representatives, or agents 08 knowingly provide or assist in providing false information, or fail to correct false 09 information provided, to the commission for the purpose of obtaining a benefit. 10 * Sec. 9. AS 16.43.970(a) is amended to read: 11 (a) A person who violates a provision of this chapter or a regulation adopted 12 under this chapter or an entity that violates a provision of AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520 13 or a regulation adopted under AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520 is, upon conviction, guilty 14 of a class B misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for a 15 first conviction, and a fine of not more than $10,000 for a second or third conviction. 16 Upon a first or second conviction under this subsection, the court may in its discretion 17 also order the commission to suspend the commercial fishing privileges of the person 18 or entity for a period of not more than three years and to revoke one or more or all 19 commercial fishing permits held by the person or entity. Upon a third or subsequent 20 conviction under this subsection, the person or entity is also subject to a loss of 21 commercial fishing privileges as provided under (i) of this section. This subsection 22 does not apply to violations of AS 16.43.140(a). 23 * Sec. 10. AS 16.43.970(b) is amended to read: 24 (b) A person or entity who knowingly makes a false statement to the 25 commission for the purpose of obtaining a benefit, including the issuance, renewal, 26 duplication, or transfer of an entry or interim-use permit, [OR] vessel license, vessel 27 interim-use permit, or vessel entry permit, or a person who assists another by 28 knowingly making a false statement to the commission for the purpose of obtaining a 29 benefit for another, is guilty of the crime of unsworn falsification as set out in 30 AS 11.56.210. Upon conviction, the person or entity is also subject to suspension of 31 commercial fishing privileges and revocation of commercial fishing permits under (i)
01 of this section. 02 * Sec. 11. AS 16.43.970(d) is amended to read: 03 (d) If a permit holder is charged by the state with violating a provision of this 04 chapter or a regulation adopted under this chapter, the holder may not transfer [, 05 UNDER AS 16.43.170,] any interim-use or entry permit under AS 16.43.170 or any 06 transferable vessel entry permit under AS 16.43.450 - 16.43.520 [,] until after the 07 final adjudication or dismissal of the charges. 08 * Sec. 12. AS 16.43.970(e) is amended to read: 09 (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an interim-use or entry 10 permit or transferable vessel entry permit may not be transferred while under 11 suspension, without the consent of the commission. 12 * Sec. 13. AS 16.43.970(f) is amended to read: 13 (f) A commercial fishing entry permit revoked under this section that is 14 pledged as security for a loan under AS 16.10.333, or 16.10.338, or AS 44.81.231 15 shall be reassigned as provided in AS 16.10.337 or AS 44.81.250. 16 * Sec. 14. AS 16.43.970(i) is amended to read: 17 (i) Upon the conviction of a person or entity for an offense described under 18 (a), (b), or (g) of this section, the court shall immediately notify the commission of the 19 conviction. The notice provided by the court shall be accompanied by an order 20 suspending commercial fishing privileges and revoking commercial fishing permits 21 under (a) of this section, as appropriate. The commission shall, upon receipt of 22 (1) an order from the court under (a) of this section, suspend the 23 commercial fishing privileges of a person or entity for the period set by the court and 24 revoke commercial fishing permits held by the person or entity as directed by the 25 court; 26 (2) a notice from the court that a person or entity has been convicted 27 of a third or subsequent violation of (a) of this section, suspend all commercial fishing 28 privileges of the person or entity for a period of three years from the date of 29 conviction and revoke all commercial fishing permits held by the person or entity; 30 (3) a notice from the court that a person or entity has been convicted 31 of a violation described under (b) of this section, suspend all commercial fishing
01 privileges of the person or entity for a period of three years from the date of 02 conviction and revoke all commercial fishing permits held by the person or entity; 03 (4) a notice from the court that a person has been convicted of a 04 violation described under (g)(1) of this section, suspend all commercial fishing 05 privileges of the person for a period of one year from the date of conviction; 06 (5) a notice from the court that a person has been convicted of a 07 violation described under (g)(2) of this section, suspend all commercial fishing 08 privileges of the person for a period of two years from the date of conviction; 09 (6) a notice from the court that a person has been convicted of a 10 violation described under (g)(3) of this section, suspend all commercial fishing 11 privileges of the person for a period of five years from the date of conviction. 12 * Sec. 15. AS 16.43.970(j)(1) is amended to read: 13 (1) "commercial fishing permit" means an entry permit, [OR] an 14 interim-use permit, a vessel entry permit, or a vessel interim-use permit issued 15 under this chapter; 16 * Sec. 16. AS 16.43.980(a) is amended to read: 17 (a) The commission shall prepare an annual report and notify the legislature 18 that it is available. The report must [SHALL] include but not be limited to the 19 following: 20 (1) a progress report on the reduction of entry permits to optimum 21 levels; 22 (2) recommendations for additional legislation relating to the 23 regulation of entry of participants and vessels into Alaska commercial fisheries. 24 * Sec. 17. AS 16.43.990(5) is amended to read: 25 (5) "person" means a natural person; "person" [AND] does not 26 include a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, joint 27 venture, [BUSINESS] trust, [OR] society, or other legal entity other than a natural 28 person; 29 * Sec. 18. AS 16.43.990 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 30 (10) "entity" means a corporation, company, partnership, firm, 31 association, organization, joint venture, trust, society, or other legal entity other than a
01 natural person. 02 * Sec. 19. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 03 read: 04 REGULATIONS. The Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission may adopt 05 regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) that the commission finds 06 necessary to implement this Act. The regulations may not take effect before July 1, 2002. 07 * Sec. 20. Section 19 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 08 * Sec. 21. Except as provided in sec. 20 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2002.