Alaska official wants probe of crab sales

Alaska's speaker of the House wants an investigation of Wal-Mart sales of Russian crab that's packaged in a box featuring a vessel that catches U.S. crab in the Bering Sea.

The sales promotion attempts to ride the fame of the F/V Northwestern and its skipper, Sig Hansen, who is featured in "Deadliest Catch," the reality series broadcast on the Discovery Channel.

Though the crab box notes on the back that the product is from Russia, Alaska state Rep. John Harris, R-Valdez, in a statement released Wednesday, said he believed it was fraudulent marketing.

"Alaska King Crab is known the world over as the premium, yet Wal-Mart is allowing a foreign company to demean its name, its value and its standing in the market," said Harris.

Harris called for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the Alaska congressional delegation to "weigh in and call for an investigation."

The Seattle Times reported Tuesday that the Russian crab was supplied by Global Fishing, an importer based in Bellevue. In late September, the company's chief executive officer, Arkadi Gontmakher, was arrested in Moscow, and the Russians are alleging that he was involved in a conspiracy to bring illegally caught king crab into the United States.

In marketing Russian crab, Harris said, Hansen made a deplorable decision that "sold out his name, likeness and the state's precious King Crab."

Hansen, in a Monday interview, said he was approached last summer by Global Fishing and agreed to promote the Russian crab. He said he hopes his endorsement will boost sales and increase crab prices, thus benefiting the Alaska fleets.

"Our intent is not to harm Alaskan crab business," said a statement released by Hansen and his family. "Our heritage lies here, our blood, sweat and tears are here, our future is here, and we've fought for the fishery here."

Wal-Mart said the matter was being investigated.