The Juneau-based organization's show of support came in the wake of a seven-count federal court indictment alleging that Stevens lied about accepting gifts in excess of $250,000 from oilfield service contractor Veco Corp. Stevens, who has represented Alaska in Congress for 40 years, said he is innocent and has asked for a federal court trial before the November elections.

The Seattle-based Alaska Crab Coalition also saluted Stevens for his contributions to fisheries.

“The charges do not diminish the importance of his leadership in the enactment and oversight of federal laws, without which major fisheries would remain today, as they long were; dangerous and unsustainable,” said Arni Thomson, executive director of the coalition. “The fact is, by his record of public service, not only in Congress, but also in the United States military, he has earned the respect of all Americans.”

The indictment makes no mention of commercial fisheries, an issue Stevens' foes have implied for some time would prove to be his downfall. Allocation in commercial fisheries has for years been a politically contentious issue.

Since the indictment was announced, a number of Alaskans, including major players in commercial fisheries, have rallied to Stevens' defense.

Others in the fisheries industry have been highly critical of some legislation Stevens has steered through Congress, claiming an unfair advantage to certain individuals or groups.

Shawn Dochtermann, a Kodiak resident who fishes commercially for salmon, halibut, crab and other species, said in an interview Aug. 3 that “our forefathers would have had Ted hanged for economic treason for his dubious deeds.”

Dochtermann alleges that Stevens has too much control in commercial fisheries. He cites the American Fisheries Act, the Bering Sea crab rationalization program, the rockfish pilot program and the Adak pollock allocation as legislation forced into law by Stevens without transparency and due process.

Dochtermann said that in his view, the American Fisheries Act gave the majority of the processing of fishing rights to foreign-owned corporations, while the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island crab rationalization program gave majority processing rights to Japanese corporations.

Dochtermann also said he felt the Adak Pollock allocation benefited the Aleut Corp. and the senator's son, former Anchorage Republican state Sen. Ben Stevens.

Joe Childers, president of UFA, had no words of criticism for Stevens.

“UFA recognizes and appreciates the leadership and vision of Alaska's senior senator Ted Stevens in leading Alaska, the nation and the world in adopting sustainable fisheries management measures for the future,” said Childers. “While saddened by the indictment handed down against him, UFA acknowledges the overwhelming merit of Senator Stevens' lifetime of achievements in the protection of U.S. oceans and fisheries.”

Childers noted that the organization honored Stevens in 2006 with a Person of the Year in Alaska Politics award, for his work in reauthorizing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

“For good reason, the act is named after Senator Stevens because no other person has had more involvement, leadership or vision in developing this law, which is the world model for sustainable fisheries,” Childers said. “While Stevens has long recognized the integral nature of fisheries and the Alaska economy, he has also understood and championed sustainable fisheries management for the entire United States and for the world.”

Reauthorization of Magnuson-Stevens continues the system of regional fishery management councils that has served to protect and sustain Alaska's offshore fisheries, he said.