CCF funds cannot be used for any vessel acquisition, construction, or reconstruction that increases harvesting capacity in a fishery or fisheries, other than in a limited access system in which the fisheries management authority establishes harvesting limits.

(a) Acquisition. CCF funds can be used to acquire any used qualified vessel that will fish in a limited access system in which the fisheries management authority establishes harvesting limits. If the fishery or fisheries is not a limited access system, CCF funds can only be used to replace an existing, recently sunken, or scrapped vessel and its existing harvesting capacity. The replaced vessel must lose its fisheries trade endorsement and the vessel owner must notify the Coast Guard Documentation Center of that fact.

(b) Construction. CCF funds can be used to construct a new qualified vessel that will fish in a limited access system in which the fisheries management authority establishes harvesting limits. If the fishery or fisheries is not a limited access system, CCF funds can only be used to replace an existing, recently sunken, or scrapped vessel and its existing harvesting capacity. The replaced vessel must lose its fisheries trade endorsement and the vessel owner must notify the Coast Guard Documentation Center of that fact.

(c) Reconstruction. Reconstruction may include rebuilding, replacing, reconditioning, refurbishing, repairing, converting and/or improving any portion of a vessel. A reconstruction project must, however, either substantially prolong the useful life of the reconstructed vessel, increase its value, materially increase its safety, reliability, or energy efficiency, or adapt it to a different commercial use in the fishing trade or industry. No vessel more than 25 years old at the time of withdrawal shall be a qualified vessel for the purpose of reconstruction unless a special showing is made, to the Secretary's discretionary satisfaction, that the type and degree of reconstruction intended will result in an efficient and productive vessel with an economically useful life of at least 10 years beyond the date reconstruction is completed.

(d) Time permitted for construction or reconstruction. Construction or reconstruction must be completed within 18 months from the date construction or reconstruction first commences, unless otherwise consented to by the Secretary.