Revenue

The Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission generates revenue primarily from issuance of commercial fishing permits and vessel licenses, and to a lesser degree from charges for research and data processing services and reports. As shown in the graph, total revenue dropped from about $5.7 million in FY 94 total revenue dropped to $4.7 million in FY 95, attributable to a decrease in the number of fishers licensed and permits issued. This decline has been evident since 1991 when the total count of permits and vessel licenses issued was 50,104, compared to 43,430 in 1995. (See the Licensing report for more details.) The decline is largely attributed to the halibut and sablefish IFQ program and the poor economic conditions prevalent in many fisheries in recent years.

Despite the decrease from the previous year, the Commission's revenues during FY 95 were nearly twice the amount of its annual budget. The agency has been on a maintenance budget for several years which has resulted in reductions in personnel and forced the agency to allocate resources to those demands most urgent. Reliance upon technological advances has been of utmost importance in enabling the agency to carry out its statutory responsibilities in light of the increased variety and complexity of fisheries issues in the 90's.

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