Unalaska, AK – On Friday, Gov. Sean Parnell approved an economic package in Ketchikan, signing a number of bills focused on loans and taxation. House Bill 365 was part of that package, and it puts in place the last part of the fisheries buyback permit program. The buyback program is supposed to help stabilize the fisheries by helping retire latent permits.

Anchorage Representative Charisse Millett sponsored the legislation and says that she was impressed that the members of the fishing industry came to her with a plan for sustainability that includes taxation provisions.

"It's a unique bill," says Millett. "It was brought to the legislature by fishermen for fishermen - and financed by fishermen. It's unusual that you find someone who's not asking the legislature for money to do something but asking the legislature to enable them to pay for it themselves."

The Southeast Seiners' Association, the United Fishermen of Alaska, and the Alaska Commercial Fishery Entry Commission all supported the permit buyback measure.