Search warrant served in Kodiak

A Kodiak organization representing the trawl industry says Alaska Wildlife Troopers this week served a search warrant at its downtown office.

Electronics including the the executive director's laptop and cell phone were seized, the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank (AGDB) said in an "urgent update" sent Wednesday to the organization's members.

A spokesman for the Alaska Wildlife Troopers today said the agency was working on a media statement regarding the matter. The Alaska Groundfish Data Bank has represented Gulf of Alaska shoreside trawl catcher vessels and processors since 1986, the organization's website says.

The investigation doesn't appear to be focused on AGDB per se. Rather, the search is believed to be part of a broader investigation into the disposition of "prohibited species catch" such as salmon and halibut. These fish are taken as bycatch in trawl groundfish fisheries and can't be sold.

AGDB's executive director, Julie Bonney, in October testified before the North Pacific Fishery Management Council regarding a recent change of management policy to bar turning prohibited species catch into fishmeal.

Such fish now are hauled from processing plants to sea and dumped.

"AGDB does not have anything to hide, so it's extremely unfortunate that authorities have chose to take this route," the member update said.