It’s imperative that skippers and crew document their participation in fisheries harvests. The lack of evidence of engagement is an excuse for their exclusion in the privatization of our nation’s fisheries resources.

Documenting sea time, especially during the qualifying years for Bering Sea crab and Gulf of Alaska groundfish rationalization, coupled with settlement sheets, tax forms and crew contracts, will establish a record of historic participation.

Article 301 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act clearly states “If it becomes necessary to make new laws, all such fishermen shall be included.” Organized fishermen, with proof of harvest participation, would be easier to include in the massive redistribution of public wealth that is occurring.

All fishermen should make themselves eligible for the allocation of rights to the resource they’ve harvested. This will take paperwork. Not a fisherman’s favorite task, but a necessary one.

Apparently, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is planning to put unused halibut quota into a lottery pool for redistribution to fishermen. To qualify, one must submit an application for eligibility to receive QS/IFQ. These are available from U.S. Department of Commerce, NMFS, Restricted Access Management, (800) 304-4846; and available at their Web site, www.fakr.noaa.gov.

Organize. Act. All it takes for wrong to prevail is for good men to do nothing.