Since 1986 the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank has been the central member-based organization in Kodiak gathering fisheries data from – and advocating for policy for – the Gulf of Alaska pollock trawl fleet. Julie Bonney joined the data bank as an analyst five years after it started.
“I thought it would be a good entry level position," Bonney said. "And if you really know the fishing industry right now, the vast majority of people that are involved have been observers, in terms of scientific folks or leads for advocacy groups, pretty much everyone I can think of was an observer at one point or another.”
After being an analyst with the organization for a decade, Bonney took over as the head of the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank in 2001. But after roughly 35 years with the group, Bonney said the data bank has closed its office in downtown Kodiak and is phasing out all of its operations.
“Basically we’re spinning off responsibilities and winding down," Bonney said. "And so there are a couple things that I will continue in 2026.”
She will continue to work out of her home this year to close out some lingering projects such as a research program with Alaska Pacific University and making reports to NPFMC at the council's summer meeting.
Bonney said she's navigated through some huge challenges for the Gulf of Alaska’s fishing industry during her time with the organization, such as NPFMC’s focus on Endangered Species Act protections for the western population of Steller Sea Lions that were implemented in 2001.
Bonney is the wife of a longtime seafood processor and said she’s always been interested in fisheries data. She has run the cooperatives for the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program since 2007, which was a pilot program that she developed and was then adopted by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in 2012. And Bonney was heavily involved in developing and starting the electronic monitoring program for the Gulf’s pollock trawl fleet. That policy went into effect last year.
The data bank requested that someone else take over those two service contracts last fall to manage the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program Shoreside intercooperative/ cooperatives, along with the Gulf of Alaska Trawl Electronic Monitoring Incentive Plan Agreement. Danielle Bennett, formerly a NOAA Fisheries fish biologist in Anchorage, has taken over management of the programs as the Incentive Plan Agreement representative.
Even though the fishermen and shoreside processor cooperatives will still exist, and the electronic monitoring program will continue for trawlers in the Gulf of Alaska, Bonney said there isn’t another organization that can solely fill the data bank’s role in Kodiak.
“Honestly it’s the only organization that includes both processors and harvesters under the same tent," she said.
The organization's other full-time employee, Assistant Director Chelsae Radell transitioned to a job with Pacific Seafood in September.
In an emailed statement to KMXT, Radell said as a former employee of the data bank, “It was a privilege to work for Alaska Groundfish Data Bank and I feel incredibly lucky to learn from Julie's immense knowledge and experience in Alaska's fisheries. Two lessons stand out the most above everything she taught me. First, there are three legs to the stool that keeps us whole: harvesters, processors, and community. Each leg needs the other in order to thrive, and we need to base our policy decision-making on keeping all three healthy or Kodiak won't survive. The second lesson is that it doesn't matter who gets the credit or the "win." As long as the outcome keeps the three legs of the stool intact and Kodiak wins, that is what is important. I remain dedicated to the Kodiak community and ensuring that Kodiak is a commercial fishing community for future generations.”
Bonney said she made the decision last summer to close the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank by the end of 2025 and transition into retirement.
But while the data bank was preparing to close, the organization was caught up in an Alaska State Troopers’ investigation into seafood processors allegedly profiting illegally from salmon and halibut bycatch.
According to reporting from the Northern Journal, in November Troopers seized Bonney’s work laptop and cellphone along with all electronics and fisheries data from the Kodiak organization.
No charges have since been filed against Bonney or the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank.
Bonney said she cannot comment on the investigation as it’s still ongoing, but she maintains that she’s done nothing wrong.
"I’ll continue to defend myself obviously because I’ve done nothing wrong, but that’s going to take a while to get to the other end," she said.
While the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank phases out of the Kodiak fishing community, local trawl vessels will be heading out in the Gulf of Alaska for the start of the pollock A season after Jan. 20.
