8280.3
. (a) Notwithstanding Article 9 (commencing with Section
8100) of Chapter 1 and except as provided in this section, a
Dungeness crab vessel permit shall not be transferred.
(b) The owner of a vessel to whom a Dungeness crab vessel permit
has been issued shall transfer the permit for the use of that vessel
upon the sale of the vessel by the permitholder to the person
purchasing the vessel. Thereafter, upon notice to the department, the
person purchasing the vessel may use the vessel for the taking and
landing of Dungeness crab for any and all of the unexpired portion of
the permit year, and that person is eligible for a permit pursuant
to Section 8280.1 for the use of that vessel in subsequent years. The
person purchasing the vessel shall not transfer the permit for use
of that vessel in the Dungeness crab fishery to another replacement
vessel during the same permit year.
(c) The owner of a vessel to whom the Dungeness crab vessel permit
has been issued may transfer the permit to a replacement vessel of
equivalent capacity, except as specified in this section. Thereafter,
upon notice to the department and payment of the transfer fee
specified in Section 8280.6, the replacement vessel may be used for
the taking and landing of Dungeness crab for any and all of the
unexpired portion of the permit year and that person is eligible for
a permit pursuant to Section 8280.1 for the use of that replacement
vessel in subsequent years.
(d) The owner of a permitted vessel may transfer the permit to a
vessel of greater capacity that was owned by that person on or before
November 15, 1995, not to exceed 10 feet longer in length overall
than the vessel for which the permit was originally issued or to a
vessel of greater capacity purchased after November 15, 1995, not to
exceed 5 feet longer in length overall than the vessel for which the
permit was originally issued.
(e) The department may authorize the owner of a permitted vessel
to transfer the permit to a replacement vessel that was owned by that
person on or before April 1, 1996, that does not fish with trawl
nets that is greater than five feet longer in length overall than the
vessel for which the permit was originally issued, if all of the
following conditions are satisfied:
(1) A vessel of a larger size is essential to the owner for
participation in another fishery other than a trawl net fishery.
(2) The owner held a permit on or before January 1, 1995, for the
fishery for which a larger vessel is needed and has participated in
that fishery.
(3) The permit for the vessel from which the permit is to be
transferred qualified pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of
Section 8280.1.
(4) The vessel to which the permit is to be transferred does not
exceed 20 feet longer in length overall than the vessel for which the
permit was originally issued and the vessel to which the permit is
to be transferred does not exceed 60 feet in overall length.
(f) A transfer of a permit to a larger vessel shall not be allowed
more than one time. If a permit is transferred to a larger vessel,
any Dungeness crab vessel permit for that permit year or any
subsequent permit years for that larger vessel shall not be
transferred to another larger vessel. The department shall not
thereafter issue a Dungeness crab vessel permit for the use of the
original vessel from which the permit was transferred, except that
the original vessel may be used to take or land Dungeness crab after
that transfer if its use is authorized pursuant to another Dungeness
crab vessel permit subsequently transferred to that vessel pursuant
to this paragraph.
(g) (1) Upon the written approval of the department, the owner of
a vessel to whom the Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued,
which has California Dungeness crab landings made with trap gear
documented on department landing receipts and which has had
California Dungeness crab landings amounting to not less than 5,000
pounds cumulative for the past two Dungeness crab seasons, may
temporarily transfer the permit to a replacement vessel for which use
in the Dungeness crab fishery is not permitted pursuant to this
section or Section 8280.1 that is of equivalent size and capacity of
the originally permitted vessel, no greater than 10 feet longer in
length overall than the vessel from which the permit is transferred,
for a period of not more than six months during the current permit
year if the vessel for which the permit was issued is seriously
damaged, suffers major mechanical breakdown, or is lost or destroyed,
as determined by the department, upon approval of the director. The
owner of the vessel shall submit proof that the department may
reasonably require to establish the existence of the conditions of
this paragraph. Only the permittee at the time of the loss, theft,
damage, breakdown, or destruction of the vessel may apply for the
transfer of the vessel permit. Proof of loss or destruction shall be
documented by submission of a copy of the report filed with the
United States Coast Guard or any other law enforcement or fire agency
that investigated the loss. In the case of mechanical breakdown, the
request shall include an estimate of the costs to repair the vessel
from a marine surveyor or boat repair yard. The department shall not
issue a permit for a replacement vessel pursuant to this subdivision
if the permitted vessel was reported lost, stolen, mechanically
broken down, destroyed, or damaged for fraudulent purposes. Upon
approval by the director, the owner of a vessel granted a six-month
temporary transfer under this section may be granted an additional
six-month extension of the temporary transfer.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 8280.2, in the
event of loss or destruction of a vessel for which a Dungeness crab
vessel permit was issued, or serious damage that renders the vessel
inoperable, and upon written approval of the department, the owner of
the vessel to whom the permit was issued may retain the permit and
may transfer the permit to another vessel of equivalent size and
capacity of the vessel that was lost or damaged during the period of
two years after the loss or damage of the vessel for which the permit
was originally issued. The owner of the lost or damaged vessel shall
submit proof that the department may reasonably require to establish
the loss or damage of the vessel. Only the permittee at the time of
the loss, theft, damage, or destruction of the vessel may apply for
the transfer of the vessel permit. Proof of loss or destruction shall
be documented by submission of a copy of the report filed with the
United States Coast Guard or any other law enforcement or fire agency
that investigated the loss. In the case of mechanical breakdown, the
request shall include an estimate of the costs to repair the vessel
from a marine surveyor or boat repair yard. The department shall not
issue a permit for a replacement vessel pursuant to this paragraph if
the lost or damaged vessel was reported lost, stolen, destroyed,
mechanically broken down, or damaged for fraudulent purposes. The
department shall only transfer a permit pursuant to this paragraph if
the lost or damaged vessel has a current permit and the owner of the
lost or damaged vessel makes assurances in the application that any
renewal of the permit that becomes due during the application
processing period will be made. If the permit is not permanently
transferred to another vessel owned by the person to whom the vessel
permit was originally issued within two years of the loss or damage,
the permit shall become void by operation of law.
(h) Upon written approval of the department, the owner of a vessel
to whom the Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued may retain
that permit upon the sale of that permitted vessel for the purpose of
transferring the permit to another vessel to be purchased by that
individual within one year of the time of sale of the vessel for
which the permit was originally issued if the requirements of this
section are satisfied, including the payment of transfer fees. If the
permit is not transferred to a new vessel owned by the person to
whom the vessel permit was originally issued within one year of the
sale of the vessel for which it was originally issued, or if the
person does not retain ownership of the new vessel to which the
permit is transferred for a period of not less than one year, the
permit shall become void by operation of law.
(i) In the event of the death or incapacity of a permitholder, the
permit shall be transferred, upon application, to the heirs or
assigns, or to the working partner, of the permitholder, together
with the transfer of the vessel for which the permit was issued, and
the new owner may continue to operate the vessel under the permit,
renew the permit, or transfer the permit upon sale of the vessel
pursuant to subdivision (b). The estate of the holder of a
transferable Dungeness crab vessel permit may renew that permit as
provided for in statute if needed to keep it valid. The estate of the
decedent may transfer that permit pursuant to these regulations no
later than two years from the date of death of the permitholder as
listed on the death certificate.
(j) This section shall become inoperative on April 1, 2019, and,
as of January 1, 2020, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2020, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.