Councilor Freierman distributed a summary of progress by the subcommittee, which will make recommendations on 1) the conditions that would warrant relaxing the current strict eligibility requirements for these special permits and 2) once these conditions are met, what process and/or criteria might be used to determine who gets any new permits issued. Among possible conditions discussed by the committee that would prompt a relaxation of eligibility rules for these special permits are commercial landings as compared to before the fisheries were restricted, the number of current permit holders vis-à-vis the number before the fisheries were restricted, and participation rates for various gear types. Possible qualifying criteria once the trigger is met include income dependence on commercial fishing or fishing, years holding foodfish license, type of gear to be fished, family history in commercial fishing, and a number of others. The subcommittee was still discussing these above and related issues. It will schedule at least one public information meeting to solicit input from a wider audience before making its final recommendations to the full Council.

Councilor McBride, a member of the subcommittee, stated that some subcommittee members were promoting the idea that one of the qualifiers that should be required to get a fluke or striped bass special commercial harvest permit was income from the sale of fish, only. Mr. McBride felt this was inappropriate; income from fishing (including charter vessel fishing) should be used, as it presently is in the state foodfish license. He also suggested that a cap be placed on the number of tags allotted to any one permit holder.

Mr. John Mihale, a commercial hook & line fisherman, suggested that the subcommittee think seriously about a scheme whereby one new entrant is allowed into these two commercial fisheries for every two permits that are relinquished.