Jones Act in the news - Forums Archive

carojae

2014-03-17 17:15:24

March 17, 2014

The law called the Jones act prevents foreign vessels from shipping cargo between US ports. It was created in 1920's. It "had" a purpose for the american economy and interests but...

This law has been a thorn in the side to a lot of fisherman wanting to buy a Canadian vessel only to find that normal financing is not easy and the mandatory fish hold modification (cargo?) affecting American fisherman negatively. What highliner wants to make their fishhold smaller? Heheh.

Write your congressmen?

http://juneauempire.com/state/2014-03-17/hawaii-alaska-territories-team-jones-act#.UycoAfldUpU

Jim

Kelper

2014-03-17 18:49:46

I did write Begich about the issue about a year ago. He sent me back a lengthy reply, that I'm pretty sure ended up as fire starter. But the gist of it was that we are pretty much SOL on the Jones Act due to a variety of factors. One of them being the longshoremen unions. Looks like I'll have to write another letter.

I do think it's important for smaller fisheries to continue to fight the Jones Act to get an exemption for our fishery, or streamline the process so that any USCG MSD can do the Jones Act inspection, free of charge. It's ridiculous that we have to spend so much money to bring a troller into the states to fish.

carojae

2014-03-18 04:07:23

I wrote my congressmen telling them my feelings. I don't know why the federal government feels content with old laws taking up space on the federal register like they do.

I once had a beautiful Canadian boat I was going to buy from a guy in Oregon and found out after all my hoop jumping for a state loan, that they would not finance a foreign vessel even if I was buying it from a fellow American.

By the time I secured a bank loan, the guy sold the boat I wanted. I'll never forget how devastated I was.....