(a) For purposes of this section, the term “length overall” means the horizontal distance between the forward-most and after-most points on the hull of a vessel. The length overall of a vessel does not include attachments fixed to the stern and bow.

(b) Notwithstanding Article 9 (commencing with Section 8100) of Chapter 1 and except as provided in this section, a Dungeness crab vessel permit shall not be transferred.

(c) (1) The owner of a vessel to whom a Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued shall transfer the permit for the use of that vessel upon the sale of the vessel by the permitholder to the person purchasing the vessel, except that the permit shall not be transferred if the vessel is more than five feet longer in length overall, as determined by a licensed marine surveyor, than the baseline length on the permit. Thereafter, upon notice to the department, the person purchasing the vessel may use the vessel for the taking and landing of Dungeness crab for any and all of the unexpired portion of the permit year, and that person is eligible for a permit pursuant to this article for the use of that vessel in subsequent years. The person purchasing the vessel shall not transfer the permit for use of that vessel in the Dungeness crab fishery to another replacement vessel during the same permit year.

(2) A permit described in subdivision (c) of Section 8280.1 shall not be transferred pursuant to this subdivision.

(d) The owner of a vessel to whom the Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued may transfer the permit to a replacement vessel of equivalent capacity, except as specified in this section. Thereafter, upon notice to the department and payment of the transfer fee specified in Section 8280.6, the replacement vessel may be used for the taking and landing of Dungeness crab for any and all of the unexpired portion of the permit year and that person is eligible for a permit pursuant to this article for the use of that replacement vessel in subsequent years.

(e) (1) The owner of a permitted vessel may transfer the permit to a vessel of greater capacity as follows:

(A) If the person the permit is to be transferred to purchased the vessel of greater capacity on or before November 15, 1995, the vessel of greater capacity may not be more than 10 feet longer in length overall than the baseline length on the permit.

(B) If the person the permit is to be transferred to purchased the vessel of greater capacity after November 15, 1995, the vessel of greater capacity may not be more than five feet longer in length overall than the baseline length on the permit.

(2) A permit described in subdivision (c) of Section 8280.1 shall not be transferred pursuant to this subdivision.

(f) (1) The department may authorize the owner of a permitted vessel to transfer the permit to a replacement vessel that was owned by the person the permit is to be transferred to on or before April 1, 1996, that does not fish with trawl nets that is greater than five feet longer in length overall than the baseline length on the permit, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

(A) A vessel of a larger size is essential to the proposed permitholder for participation in another fishery other than a trawl net fishery.

(B) The owner of the permitted vessel held a permit on or before January 1, 1995, for the fishery for which a larger vessel is needed and has participated in that fishery.

(C) The permit for the vessel from which the permit is to be transferred qualified pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8280.1, as that section read on August 1, 2018, or any prior version of that paragraph.

(D) The vessel to which the permit is to be transferred does not exceed 20 feet longer in length overall than the baseline length on the permit and the vessel to which the permit is to be transferred does not exceed 60 feet in length overall.

(E) A permit was not previously transferred to the same replacement vessel.

(2) A permit described in subdivision (c) of Section 8280.1 shall not be transferred pursuant to this subdivision.

(g) A transfer of a permit to a larger vessel shall not be allowed more than one time. If a permit is transferred to a larger vessel, any Dungeness crab vessel permit for that permit year or any subsequent permit years for that larger vessel shall not be transferred to another larger vessel. The department shall not thereafter issue a Dungeness crab vessel permit for the use of the original vessel from which the permit was transferred, except that the original vessel may be used to take or land Dungeness crab after that transfer if its use is authorized pursuant to another Dungeness crab vessel permit subsequently transferred to that vessel pursuant to subdivision (d), (e), or (f).

(h) (1) Upon the written approval of the department, the owner of a vessel to whom the Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued, which has California Dungeness crab landings made with trap gear documented on department landing receipts and which has had California Dungeness crab landings amounting to not less than 5,000 pounds cumulative for the past two Dungeness crab seasons, may temporarily transfer the permit to a replacement vessel for which use in the Dungeness crab fishery is not permitted pursuant to this article that is of equivalent size and capacity of the originally permitted vessel, no greater than 10 feet longer in length overall than the vessel from which the permit is transferred, for a period of not more than six months during the current permit year if the vessel for which the permit was issued is seriously damaged, suffers major mechanical breakdown, or is lost or destroyed, as determined by the department, upon approval of the director. The owner of the vessel shall submit proof that the department may reasonably require to establish the existence of the conditions of this paragraph. Only the permittee at the time of the loss, theft, damage, breakdown, or destruction of the vessel may apply for the transfer of the vessel permit. Proof of loss or destruction shall be documented by submission of a copy of the report filed with the United States Coast Guard or any other law enforcement or fire agency that investigated the loss. In the case of mechanical breakdown, the request shall include an estimate of the costs to repair the vessel from a marine surveyor or boat repair yard. The department shall not issue a permit for a replacement vessel pursuant to this subdivision if the permitted vessel was reported lost, stolen, mechanically broken down, destroyed, or damaged for fraudulent purposes. Upon approval by the director, the owner of a vessel granted a six-month temporary transfer under this section may be granted an additional six-month extension of the temporary transfer.

(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 8280.2, in the event of loss or destruction of a vessel for which a Dungeness crab vessel permit was issued, or serious damage that renders the vessel inoperable, and upon written approval of the department, the owner of the vessel to whom the permit was issued may retain the permit and may transfer the permit to another vessel of equivalent size and capacity of the vessel that was lost or damaged during the period of two years after the loss or damage of the vessel for which the permit was originally issued. The owner of the lost or damaged vessel shall submit proof that the department may reasonably require to establish the loss or damage of the vessel. Only the permittee at the time of the loss, theft, damage, or destruction of the vessel may apply for the transfer of the vessel permit. Proof of loss or destruction shall be documented by submission of a copy of the report filed with the United States Coast Guard or any other law enforcement or fire agency that investigated the loss. In the case of mechanical breakdown, the request shall include an estimate of the costs to repair the vessel from a marine surveyor or boat repair yard. The department shall not issue a permit for a replacement vessel pursuant to this paragraph if the lost or damaged vessel was reported lost, stolen, destroyed, mechanically broken down, or damaged for fraudulent purposes. The department shall only transfer a permit pursuant to this paragraph if the lost or damaged vessel has a current permit and the owner of the lost or damaged vessel makes assurances in the application that any renewal of the permit that becomes due during the application processing period will be made. If the permit is not permanently transferred to another vessel owned by the person to whom the vessel permit was originally issued within two years of the loss or damage, the permit shall become void by operation of law.

(i) Upon written approval of the department, the owner of a vessel to whom the Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued may retain that permit upon the sale of that permitted vessel for the purpose of transferring the permit to another vessel to be purchased by that individual within one year of the time of sale of the vessel for which the permit was originally issued if the requirements of this section are satisfied, including the payment of transfer fees. If the permit is not transferred to a new vessel owned by the person to whom the vessel permit was originally issued within one year of the sale of the vessel for which it was originally issued, or if the person does not retain ownership of the new vessel to which the permit is transferred for a period of not less than one year, the permit shall become void by operation of law.

(j) Except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 8280.1, in the event of the death or incapacity of a permitholder, the permit shall be transferred, upon application, to the heirs or assigns, or to the working partner, of the permitholder, together with the transfer of the vessel for which the permit was issued, and the new owner may continue to operate the vessel under the permit, renew the permit, or transfer the permit upon sale of the vessel pursuant to subdivision (b). The estate of the holder of a transferable Dungeness crab vessel permit may renew that permit as provided for in statute if needed to keep it valid. The estate of the decedent may transfer that permit pursuant to these regulations no later than two years from the date of death of the permitholder as listed on the death certificate.

(k) (1) For purposes of this section, the baseline length on a Dungeness crab vessel permit shall be equal to the length overall of the vessel for which the permit was originally issued, as originally documented on the permit, unless updated pursuant to paragraph (2).

(2) (A) If, on or before March 31, 2020, the owner of a vessel to whom a Dungeness crab vessel permit has been issued submits to the department a survey reflecting a current length overall of the vessel that is greater than the length overall described in paragraph (1), the baseline length on the permit shall be equal to that current length overall.

(B) A survey submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be conducted by a licensed marine surveyor.

(l) This section shall become inoperative on April 1, 2029, and, as of January 1, 2030, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2030, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 472, Sec. 28. (SB 262) Effective January 1, 2020. Inoperative April 1, 2029. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, by its own provisions.)