Bristol Bay Permits

The Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation (BBEDC) sponsored a study in 2007 to delve into the loss of nearly half of the salmon permits by Bristol Bay region residents since the inception of limited entry in 1973. The loss of the permits has been very devastating to the economy of the 7,000 residents in the 34 communities of the Bristol Bay watershed.

The first phase of the study was a review of existing literature as well as original research and analysis on the loss of permits to the region residents – the causes, the history, and the underlying forces at work.

Below are some published studies and documents that are relevant to the project research:

“Residency and the Alaskan Fisheries”'' by State of Alaska Dept. of Labor Economist Neil Gilbertsen, Dec. 2004, 14 pages. This article chronicles the change and surrounding events with changes in ownership and catch levels by residents versus non-residents in all major Alaska fisheries over the last two decades.

Attachment: Fishery Ownership and Catch Trends 1984-2004[[1]]

“Bristol Bay Communities Permits” by BBEDC, 2006, 1 page. This document documents the number of drift and set net permits by community in Bristol Bay 2003-2005 and evidences the continuing decline in permit ownership by BB residents.

Attachment: Permit Ownership by Bristol Bay Community Residents 03-05[[2]]

“30 Years of Limited Entry” by Frank Homan, CFEC Board, 3 pages. This article summarizes and analyzes changes in permit ownership supported by data.

Attachment: Limited Entry Analysis-Homan[[3]]

“Fisheries Economics and Regulation” – annotated bibliography of 8 articles on permits, loans and related impacts, 3 pages.

Attachment: Economics of Permit Loans[[4]]

“Economics of Wild Salmon Watersheds; Bristol Bay, Alaska”, by Duffield, Patterson, Neher & Goldsmith, July 2006, 120 pages.

Executive Summary Excerpt: This report provides estimates of the economic values associated with sustainable use of wild salmon ecosystem resources, primarily fisheries and wildlife, of the major watersheds of the Bristol Bay, Alaska region. Both regional economic significance and social benefit-cost accounting frameworks are utilized. This study reviews and summarizes existing economic research on the key sectors in this area and reports findings based on original survey data on expenditures, net benefits, attitudes, and motivations of the angler population.

Attachment: Economics of Bristol Bay Watershed[[5]]

“Economic Effect of Permits Leaving the Bristol Bay Region”, analysis by Bob Waldrop of CFEC data on the economic impact of drift and setnet permits leaving BB region, 2 spreadsheets with graphs.

Attachment: Bristol Bay Permit Loss Detail 79-04[[6]]

“Permit Loss by BB Residents 1979-2004″ by Bob Waldrop, 1 page. This excel sheet lists the drift and setnet permits 1979 and 2004 and calculates the percentage loss.

Attachment: Permit Loss Summary 79-0

“Economic Effect of Drift Net Permits Leaving the Bristol Bay Region”, analysis by Bob Waldrop of CFEC data on economic impact of drift permits leaving BB region PDF form, 2006.

Attachment: BB Permit Loss PDF

“Bristol Bay Salmon Drift Gillnet and Set Gillnet Fisheries: Permit Holdings and Participation Rates by Age and Resident Type, 1975-2004″, CFEC Report 05-2N, May 2005 , Prepared by: Stefanie M. Carlson, 37 Pages.

This study is an in-depth analysis of participation rates (permits fished as a percentage of permits issued) by resident type and age class over the 1975 through 2004 time period, particularly focusing on how participation rates change as economic returns in the fishery change. Four resident types are defined.

Attachment: Permits by Age and Resident Type 75-04

“Charting New Courses for Alaska Salmon Fisheries: The Legal Waters”, Summary of Anchorage Workshop held by ISER, October 2002, 16 pages Summarizes constitutional and legal issues surrounding limited entry and other rationalization methods.

Attachment: Legal Workshop[[7]]

“In Re Application by the IRS for Transfer of Entry Permit Number SO1A 58789 – Francis S. Carle” CFEC 96-003-P, Commission Decision, 1996, 96 pages.

The CFEC decision is very extensive and covers relevant issues beyond deciding the case of Francis Carle’s limited entry permit and the attempt by the IRS to seize and sell the permit. Among other features, it chronicles in detail the history, background, and legal nature of the limited entry law. The legal nature of a permit as a “fishing privilege” is documented here.

Attachment: Carle Case – CFEC Decision[[8]]

“Outline of Options for Fleet Consolidation in the Alaska Salmon Fisheries” CFEC – 1998; 33 pages. CFEC published this extensive review of many options for changes to the limited entry permit system that would affect fleet consolidation. The report analyzes each options for impact, practicality, legality and needed steps to implement.

Attachment: File:1998 Outline of Options December 1998.pdf