Back on June 11, we wrote about the Alaska's new Derelict Vessels Act. In brief, the Act requires that all vessels operating in Alaska waters be registered with the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles, including vessels carrying U.S. Coast Guard documentation. Undocumented vessels without a title are required to apply for a title, as well.

Since then, United Fishermen of Alaska has written to Department of Administration, requesting that the DMV delay implementation of the Act until June 2020. UFA is concerned that to many boat owners are unaware of the new requirements and that local DMV offices are unprepared for the volume of traffic the new registration requirements will generate. UFA believes that many DMV staff are themselves confused regarding the registration and title requirements. The also complain that many local offices are open too few hours in the week for commercial fishermen to comply with the registration requirement without losing valuable fishing time. You can read the letter and all of their concerns here.

UFA is also concerned that commercial fishermen and other boaters find the new requirements confusing. To help out, they have produced a document to help you figure out if you need to register boat or title your boat and register it. Check out this explainer on their website.