Unalaska, AK – Alaska's congressional delegation has introduced legislation that would prohibit maritime liens from being put on commercial fishing permits.

The Maritime Lien Reform Act of 2011 would make it illegal for a creditor to put a claim on a permit as a way of recouping debt. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young have said that these maritime liens are counterproductive, since they take away a fisherman's ability work and ultimately make money to repay the initial debt. Sen. Mark Begich also supports the bill, and sees it as a way of keeping permits in Alaskan communities.

Maritime lien reform legislation has come up in Congress before. Similar bills were introduced in 2006 and 2008, but ultimately stalled. Right now, Alaska law already prohibits these sorts of liens on limited entry permits, but a court decision has called into question the validity of that law and suggest that permits can be subject to liens under the Federal Admiralty Law.