Section 25.135. Fleet reporting programs.

 

(1)   Fleet reporting for Lake Superior.

(a) The department may authorize a person who holds more than one license under s. 29.519 (1m) (a) , Stats., and s. NR 25.03 (1) (a) 3. for commercial fishing on Lake Superior to participate in a fleet reporting program involving those licenses if the person applies for fleet reporting on a form available from the department in accordance with s. NR 25.03 (3) prior to the start of the license year.

1. The application shall include the person's name, commercial fishing license numbers, descriptions of the boats to be included in the fleet reporting program, and the order of the licenses to which the person's daily reported catch will be credited.

2. All commercial fishing licenses held by the person shall be included in the fleet reporting program.

(b) The allowable gill net effort authorized under s. NR 25.09 (1) (am) and the number of nets authorized under s. NR 25.09 (1) (b) 3. for any license included in a person's fleet reporting program may be used for commercial fishing operations under the other licenses included in that person's fleet reporting program.

(2)   Fleet reporting for Lake Michigan.

(a) The department may authorize a person who holds more than one license under s. 29.519 (1m) (a) , Stats., and s. NR 25.03 (2) (am) for commercial fishing on Lake Michigan to participate in a fleet reporting program involving those licenses if it determines that all of the following conditions are met:

1. The person applies for fleet reporting on a form available from the department in accordance with s. NR 25.03 (3) prior to the start of the license year and the application includes all of the following:

a. The person's name, commercial fishing license numbers and descriptions of the boats to be included in the fleet reporting program.

b. For each license, a description of the individual catch quotas, by species and zone, "racehorse" chub fishing permits or "racehorse" smelt fishery permits to be included in the fleet reporting program.

c. The order of the licenses to which the person's daily reported catch will be credited.

3. All commercial fishing licenses held by the person are included in the fleet reporting program.

(3)   Fleet reporting number. Upon approval of a person's fleet reporting program under sub. (1) or (2) , the department shall issue a fleet reporting number for the person's use in place of commercial fishing license numbers to identify commercial fishing gear under s. NR 25.09 (1) and (2) and in reports under s. NR 25.13 .

(4)   Quota transfers limited. In addition to any other transfer limitations, individual catch quotas may not be transferred between the person's licenses included in a fleet reporting program except in conjunction with license applications under s. NR 25.03 (3) prior to the start of the license year.

(5)   Crew. Crew members licensed under s. 29.519 (4) , Stats., to engage in commercial fishing for a person whose fleet reporting program has been approved under sub. (1) or (2) may engage in commercial fishing activities for the person under the person's other commercial fishing licenses without being specifically listed as crew members under the person's other licenses.

(6)   Boats. Boats authorized under any license included in a person's fleet reporting program approved under sub. (1) or (2) may be used for commercial fishing operations under the other licenses included in that person's fleet reporting program without being specifically authorized under the person's other licenses and without any additional fee.

(7)   Nets. The linear feet of nets authorized under s. NR 25.09 (2) (a) 9. and the number of nets authorized under s. NR 25.09 (2) (b) 1. b. and 2. b. for any license included in a person's fleet reporting program approved under sub. (2) may be used for commercial fishing operations under the other licenses included in that person's fleet reporting program.

(8)   License transfers. A person authorized to participate in fleet reporting under sub. (1) or (2) who obtains a commercial fishing license by transfer shall add the transferred commercial fishing license to the person's fleet reporting plan at the time that the license transfer is approved by the department. A person authorized to participate in fleet reporting under sub. (1) or (2) who transfers a commercial fishing license shall remove the transferred commercial fishing license from the person's fleet reporting plan at the time that the license transfer is approved by the department.

(9)   Withdrawal from fleet reporting. A person participating in a fleet reporting program may withdraw from the program by providing written notice to the department. The notice shall include the person's name, address, fleet reporting number, commercial fishing license numbers, a statement indicating the person's desire to withdraw from the program, signature and date of signature. The withdrawal from the fleet reporting program shall take effect at the end of the license year.

History: CR 08-060 : cr. Register June 2009 No. 642 , eff. 7-1-09; CR 09-016 : am. (1) (a) 1. Register January 2010 No. 649 , eff. 2-1-10; CR 13-001 : am. (1) (a) 1., (2) (a) 1. c., r. (2) (a) 1. d., 2. Register August 2013 No. 692 , eff. 9-1-13.