Stevens is among 21 fishing industry veterans to be honored by United Fishermen of Alaska at the dinner, one of the highlights of ComFish 2009, at the U.S. Coast Guard base at Kodiak.

Deb King, executive director of the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce, the annual host of ComFish, confirmed April 16 that Stevens would attend.

Mark Vinsel, executive director of UFA, said the organization wanted to recognize Stevens with the award and a lifetime membership in UFA for his contributions to the sustainability of Alaska fisheries, "and especially his measures to protect Alaska fisheries from unsustainabilty and often illegal practices that have fisheries on the ropes throughout much of the world."

Vinsel noted Stevens' role in enacting federal legislation protecting Alaska fisheries from foreign fleets up to 200 miles from shore, plus legislation on illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries and the high seas driftnet ban. "These pieces of legislation help insure the sustainability of our fisheries," he said.

UFA also will honor at the dinner 20 initial inductees to the UFA Seafood Hall of Fame, whose names will be announced at the dinner. The group, chosen from more than 50 people nominated, includes representatives of many regions and fisheries in the state, who have contributed in a number of ways, from fisheries science to policy making, Vinsel said.

ComFish, an annual gathering at Kodiak to discuss fisheries issues, will run from April 23-25. Panel discussions are planned on a number of topics, ranging from Kodiak's role in the global seafood economy to proposed development of mines and offshore drilling in Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea, plus king crab aquaculture and research.

A full schedule of ComFish events is at www.comfishalaska.com