§4012 Assessments

Summary

A council must charge and collect assessments (fees) to pay all its costs. The council’s charter will say whether fees apply to people in the receiving sector, the importing sector, or both. Fees on receivers are a percentage of the value of the fish when bought from harvesters, as described under section 4009(b)(3). If the receiver is the owner of a fish processing vessel, their fee must be at least as much as it would be if someone else had bought the fish. Fees on importers are a percentage of the customs value of the fish or fish products when they enter or are withdrawn from warehouse, as described under section 4009(b)(3). The council cannot charge anyone who was not allowed to vote in the council referendum because they failed to meet the rules in section 4009(b)(6), unless that person later meets those rules. Anyone may make voluntary payments or give goods to a council. All money must go into an account in the council’s name as the charter specifies, and councils may only collect funds the law allows. Participants must give the Secretary needed information to run or enforce the program. Most of that information must be kept secret, except in court actions, in anonymous statistics, or when the Secretary names a person who violated an assessment rule or quality standard (including under section 4010(c)). Anyone who knowingly breaks the secrecy rule can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to one year, and removed from office if they are an officer or employee of a council or the Department of Commerce.