Originally published Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Skipper agrees to hawk Global crab
Bellevue-based Global Fishing has sought out some unlikely promoters for its Russian crab: the Alaska skippers who gained fame in "Deadliest...
Seattle Times staff reporter
Bellevue-based Global Fishing has sought out some unlikely promoters for its Russian crab: the Alaska skippers who gained fame in "Deadliest Catch," the hit reality series about crab fishing on the Discovery Channel.
Three skippers confirmed to The Seattle Times that they were contacted by Global over the summer.
Two said they rejected the offer to promote Russian crab. A third, Sig Hansen, skipper of the Puget Sound-based F/V Northwestern, agreed to the offer.
That crab is being sold in colorful 2-pound boxes in some Wal-Mart stores. The boxes feature a front picture of the Northwestern bucking rough seas and the signature of "Capt. Sig." On the back side, the crab is identified as a product of Russia packed in the United States.
Hansen, in a telephone interview Monday from his boat in the Bering Sea, said he hoped the endorsement would help overall marketing of all king-crab products, by spurring sales and driving up prices. He said other endorsements are in the works that would feature only Alaska products.
"Global is not the end-all and be-all, and they understand my position of how delicate this all is," Hansen said.
Hansen said his payment for the endorsements would be tied to sales, and he has not received any money yet. A portion of the sales will be donated to a fishermen's memorial fund, according to a sticker on a box of the crab that The Times purchased Monday at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Federal Way.
In September, the Russian government arrested Global's chief executive officer, Arkadi Gontmakher, a Bellevue resident, and accused the company of a conspiracy to export illegally caught crab products to the United States.
Hansen said he was aware that Gontmakher had been arrested but was not aware of allegations that the company had imported poached product.
"Let's face it, in Russia, it's a different system," Hansen said. "He should be considered innocent until he's proven guilty."
Wal-Mart officials did not respond to several attempts at contact by The Times. Global declined to comment. Jonathan Hillstrand, owner of the F/V Time Bandit of Homer, Alaska, said he received numerous phone calls in the summer from Global, trying to persuade him to promote the Russian product.
"I turned them down. This is a fishery that has operated like the complete Wild West with blatant [conservation] violations," Hillstrand said.
![]()
Phil Harris, owner of the F/V Cornelia Marie of Kodiak, Alaska, also turned down the Global Fishing marketing pitch.
"This whole thing stinks to high heaven," said Harris. "We are madly trying to get consumers to buy American seafood."
Hal Bernton: 206-464-2581 or hbernton@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 09:46 AM
Exxon Mobil wins ruling in Alaska oil spill case
NEW - 7:51 AM
Longview man says he was tortured with hot knife
Longview man says he was tortured with hot knife
Longview mill spills bleach into Columbia River
NEW - 8:00 AM
More extensive TSA searches in Sea-Tac Airport rattle some travelers

- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
472 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming
361 - Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
310 - 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
243 - Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement
231 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
155 - Oregon live game thread
155 - Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game
140 - AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule
133 - Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise'
106
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Bellevue College adds a third bachelor's degree program
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review




