We should know very soon now whether Southeast Alaska salmon seiners will go through with a permit buyback.
That's because 5 p.m. today is the deadline for permit holders to return their ballots to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
If a majority of the 379 ballots comes back in favor, 64 permits will be retired using a $13.1 million federal loan.
Seiners remaining in the fishery will then pay a tax of up to 3 percent on the dockside value of their catches to settle the loan over 40 years.
So, a big day. Any predictions how the vote will turn out? Deckboss doesn't dare.