This is one of the items that WDFW is going to discuss next month in Port Townsend

10. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY/COMMERCIAL FISHERIES FEES BUYBACK ACCOUNT -- DECISION:
The Commission will consider approving a proposal to delegate authority to the Director to establish and collect fees for buyback rates to be held in a Commercial Fisheries Buyback Account, which was established by House Bill 1887.

Staff Report:
Phil Anderson, Special Assistant to the Director, IRM

I wonder where those "fees" that they collect will come from? Hopefully not from the sportfisher. Just scanned the bill and it appears that all fees will be payed by commercials.

I would like to see a percentage of the quota to be written up with the buyout. For example, if we are buying out 15% of the fleet then 15% of the quota should go over to the sportsfishers side and not kept in the commercial quota. Nor the tribes be able to use it. I know the tribes can take what we don't use, but there has to be a point where bigger, faster, better commercial boats don't replace the ones that still have the licenses. Lets say in 10 years fish are rebounding, prices are back up and big canneries are building bigger boats and buying out the existing licenses. They can still wipe out the fishery with bigger nets. The huge mother ship in Neah Bay infuriates me every time I see it out there.

By the way, I will be at the meeting in PT towing my Trophy.