Health Mandate 017: Protective Measures for Independent Commercial Fishing Vessels

Issued: April 23, 2020

By: Governor Mike Dunleavy
Commissioner Adam Crum, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer, State of Alaska

To slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the State of Alaska is issuing its seventeenth health mandate, based on its authority under the Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration signed by Governor Mike Dunleavy on March 11, 2020.

Given the ongoing concern for new cases of COVID-19 being transmitted via community spread within the state, Governor Dunleavy and the State of Alaska are issuing Mandate 017 to go into effect April 24, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. and will reevaluate the Mandate by May 20, 2020.

This Mandate is issued to protect the public health of Alaskans. By issuing this Mandate, the Governor is establishing consistent mandates across the State in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. The goal is to flatten the curve and disrupt the spread of the virus.

The purpose of this Mandate is to enact protective measures for independent commercial fishing vessels operating within Alaskan waters and ports in order to prevent, slow, and otherwise disrupt the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The State of Alaska acknowledges the importance of our commercial fishing fleet to our economy and lifestyle as Alaskans. In order to ensure a safe, productive fishing season this year, while still protecting Alaskan communities to the maximum extent possible from the spread of the virus, the State is establishing standardized protective measures to be followed by all independent commercial fishing vessels operating in Alaskan waters and ports.

Health Mandate 017 – Protective Measures for Independent Commercial Fishing Vessels.

• Applicability
1. Definition: For the purposes of this Mandate, “independent commercial fishing vessels” are defined as all catcher and tender vessels that have not agreed to operate under a fleet-wide plan submitted by a company, association, or entity that represents a fleet of vessels. This Mandate alleviates the requirement for independent commercial fishing vessels to submit a Community/Workforce Protective Plan in response to Health Mandates 010 or 012.
2. This Mandate does not apply to skiffs operating from shore; protective measures for those vessels will be provided under separate guidance.
• Required Protective Measures/Plans
1. Independent commercial fishing vessels operating in Alaskan waters and ports must enact the protective measures and procedures described in Appendix 01, the Alaska Protective Plan for Commercial Fishing Vessels.
2. Vessel captains must enact controls on their vessel to ensure crewmember compliance with this Mandate.
• Travel and Access
1. Compliance with this Mandate does not constitute a right to travel or access into any areas.
2. It is incumbent upon the individual traveler to ensure that any proposed travel itinerary is still possible, and to adhere to any additional restrictions enacted by air carriers and lodging facilities or by small communities in accordance with the State of Alaska Small Community Emergency Travel Order (Health Mandate 012-Attachment B).
• Compliance and Penalties
1. Vessel captains are required to maintain documentation as directed by Appendix 01, Paragraph I, and must provide a copy of the Mandate 017 Acknowledgement Form (Appendix 02) upon request by any seafood purchasing agent or Federal, State, or local authority, to include law enforcement and fisheries regulators.
2. A violation of a State COVID-19 Mandate may subject a business or organization to an order to cease operations and/or a civil fine of up to $1,000 per violation.
3. In addition to the potential civil fines noted above, a person or organization that fails to follow the State COVID-19 Mandates designed to protect the public health from this dangerous virus and its impacts may, under certain circumstances, also be criminally prosecuted for Reckless Endangerment pursuant to Alaska Statute 11.41.250. Reckless endangerment is defined as follows:

(a) A person commits the crime of reckless endangerment if the person recklessly engages in conduct, which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.

(b) Reckless endangerment is a class A misdemeanor.

Pursuant to Alaska Statute 12.55.135, a defendant convicted of a class A misdemeanor may be sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment of not more than one year.

Additionally, under Alaska Statute 12.55.035, a person may be fined up to $25,000 for a class A misdemeanor, and a business organization may be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding the greatest of $2,500,000 for a misdemeanor offense that results in death, or $500,000 for a class A misdemeanor offense that does not result in death.

This Mandate Supersedes And Replaces All Previously Submitted Protective Plans For Independent Commercial Fishing Vessels.

This Mandate Does Not Supersede Or Replace Any Previously Enacted Protective Plans For Corporate Vessel Fleets.

Appendix 01, the Alaska Protective Plan for Commercial Fishing Vessels

Appendix 02, Mandate 017 Acknowledgement Form 

For the latest information on COVID-19, visit covid19.alaska.gov

Governor Michael J. Dunleavy

STATE OF ALASKA

**COVID-19 HEALTH MANDATE**

Issued: March 23, 2020

By: Governor Mike Dunleavy
Commissioner Adam Crum, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer, State of Alaska

To prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the State of Alaska is issuing its tenth health mandate based on its authority under the Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration signed by Governor Mike Dunleavy on March 11, 2020.

Given the increasing concern for new cases of COVID-19 around Alaska, Governor Dunleavy and the State of Alaska are issuing the following mandate to go into effect March 25, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., and will be reevaluated by April 21, 2020.

This mandate is issued to protect the public health of Alaskans. The Governor looks to establish consistent mandates across the state in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. The goal is to flatten the curve and prevent the spread of the virus.

The purpose of this mandate is to control the ingress to Alaska from outside localities in order to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Health Mandate 10.1 – International and Interstate Travel – Order for Self-Quarantine

Effective 12:01 a.m. March 25, 2020:

All people arriving in Alaska, whether resident, worker or visitor, are required to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor for illness. Arriving residents and workers in self-quarantine, should work from home, unless you support critical infrastructure (see Attachment A).

Critical infrastructure is vital to keeping Alaska safe, and as a result businesses and employees of critical infrastructure industries must take special care to protect their staff and operations during this pandemic. If your business is included in Attachment A, and your workers must travel to enter Alaska, you must submit a plan or protocol for maintaining critical infrastructure to the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development by 3:00 p.m. March 24, outlining how you will avoid the spread of COVID-19 and not endanger the lives of the communities in which you operate, of others who serve as a part of that infrastructure or the ability of that critical infrastructure to function.

Pursuant to the Governor’s declaration, the State of Alaska hereby orders the following. Upon arrival in any community in Alaska from another state or nation, you must:

1. Proceed directly from the airport to your designated quarantine location, which is the location identified and affirmed by you on the mandatory State of Alaska Travel Declaration Form (attached).
   1. If you are a resident, your designated quarantine location is your residence.
   2. If you are a visitor or worker, your designated quarantine location is your hotel room or rented lodging.
2. Remain in your designated quarantine location for a period of 14 days, or the duration of your stay in Alaska, whichever is shorter.
   1. You may leave your designated quarantine location only for medical emergencies or to seek medical care.
   2. Do not visit any public spaces, including, but not limited to: pools, meetings rooms, fitness centers or restaurants.
   3. Do not allow visitors in or out of your designated quarantine location other than a physician, healthcare provider, or individual authorized to enter the designated quarantine location by Unified Command.
   4. Comply with all rules or protocols related to your quarantine as set forth by your hotel or rented lodging.
   5. If you are required to self-quarantine and there are other individuals in your residence, hotel room, or rented lodging, you are required to comply with social distancing guidelines.

This mandate supersedes any local government travel restrictions.

The failure to follow this order is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000, or imprisonment of not more than one year, or both pursuant to Alaska Statute 12.55.035 and Alaska Statute 12.55.135

Authority: AS 26.23.020(g)(7) 

Here is the flyer with additional information, including symptoms.  

For the latest information on COVID-19, visit coronavirus.alaska.gov