(a) A person engaged in a fisheries business is liable for and shall pay the tax levied by this section on the value of each of the following fisheries resources processed during the year at the rate set out after each:
(1) salmon canned at a shore-based fisheries business - four and one-half percent;
(2) salmon processed by a shore-based fisheries business, except salmon for which the tax is due under (1) of this subsection, and all other fisheries resources processed by a shore-based fisheries business - three percent;
(3) fisheries resources processed by a floating fisheries business - five percent.
(b) Instead of the taxes levied by (a) of this section, a person who processes a developing commercial fish species is liable for and shall pay a tax equal to
(1) one percent of the value of the developing commercial fish species processed by a shore-based fisheries business during the year; and
(2) three percent of the value of the developing commercial fish species processed by a floating fisheries business during the year.
(c) A person engaging or attempting to engage in a fisheries business who first actually and physically processes the fishery resource, or a person who purchases a fishery resource that is processed from a person excluded by AS 43.75.017 from liability for the tax, is liable for and shall pay to the department the entire tax imposed by this section. In determining this tax liability, the person may deduct from the value of the fishery resources processed the value of fishery resources that are canned or processed for other fisheries businesses. A person taking the deduction authorized by this subsection shall report all information relating to the deduction in accordance with regulations adopted by the department.
(d) Instead of the taxes levied under (a) or (b) of this section, a person who processes a fishery resource under a direct marketing fisheries business license is liable for and shall pay a tax equal to
(1) one percent of the value of the developing commercial fish species processed during the year; and
(2) three percent of the value of a commercial fish species not subject to (1) of this subsection.
(e) For purposes of determining the value of a fishery resource on which a tax is levied under this section, the department may establish a presumption of market value for a fishery resource in a region or market area based on a volume weighted average of market values for the fishery resource reported on returns filed under this chapter by fisheries businesses operating in the region or market area. A taxpayer who appeals an assessment of taxes based on a presumption of market value determined by the department under this subsection may rebut the presumption with substantial evidence of
(1) the prevailing price paid to fishermen for the fishery resource of the same kind and quality by fisheries businesses in the same region or market area where the fishery resource was taken, if the taxpayer holds a direct marketing fisheries business license under AS 43.75.020(c) and the fishery resource on which the tax is levied is processed under that license; or
(2) the true market value of the fishery resources if the taking of the fishery resource is done in a company-owned or company-subsidized boat operated by employees of a fisheries business, a subsidiary of the fisheries business, or a parent company of the fisheries business.