Opinion ID: 1196827
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Admissibility of certain state evidence.

Text: In addition to witnesses who testified to seeing the American Eagle in the Egg Island district and finding American Eagle crab pots in that district, the state produced several biologists and fish and game officials who testified regarding differentials in the size, weight, and geographical locations of crab species in statistical area O and introduced into evidence a study on the size and migratory habits of king crab in the Unalaska area. The state introduced this evidence in order to show it unlikely that the crabs seized from the American Eagle came from the Western District of area O, where the vessel owners claimed they were caught, essentially by showing that Egg Island district crabs tend to be distinctly smaller than those from the Western District and that the crabs seized from the American Eagle were of the size to be expected from the Egg Island district. The vessel owners argue that this evidence should not have been admitted as it is statistically unreliable, due to the limited size and location of the samples upon which some of the statistical conclusions were based and due to alterations in the fish tickets upon which conclusions about the average size of crabs from different districts were based. In addition, the owners claim the superior court erred in refusing to admit new evidence obtained after the trial that smaller crabs could be caught in the Western District. On review by this court, [a] trial judge will only be reversed for admitting prejudicial, but otherwise relevant, evidence if he has committed a `clear abuse of discretion.' Poulin v. Zartman, 542 P.2d 251, 260 (Alaska 1975), citing Davis v. Chism, 513 P.2d 475, 479 (Alaska 1973). The test of relevancy is whether the evidence has some tendency in reason to establish a proposition material to the case. Alaska R.Evid. 401; Hutchings v. State, 518 P.2d 767, 769 (Alaska 1974). If the evidence is relevant, reversal is appropriate only where its prejudicial effect so outweighs its probative value that admission constitutes a clear abuse of discretion. Poulin v. Zartman, 542 P.2d 251, 260 (Alaska 1975). In the instant case the testimony, statistical evidence, and fish tickets admitted by the superior court were relevant to the question of where the American Eagle's crabs were likely to have been caught. Both sides presented their arguments before the superior court regarding the reliability of the evidence prior to its admission. Some question was raised regarding the statistical validity and accuracy of the evidence. However, the state also substantiated its claims based on its own sampling of crab populations with samples taken from commercial crab catches and interviews with commercial fishermen. Alteration of the fish tickets, in the form of filling in data such as the number of crabs in a catch and the registration area from which the crabs were taken, was justified by the state as necessary when the fishermen and processors required by law to submit such information omitted it. The sources for supplying the omitted information were identified as the fishermen and processors themselves as well as direct measurements of samples from catches and direct observations of vessels. We believe that any deficiencies in the evidence go primarily to its weight rather than its admissibility, and cannot conclude from a review of the record that any of the evidence was sufficiently misleading to outweigh its probative value and render its admission a clear abuse of discretion. Likewise, we conclude that the additional evidence of smaller crabs caught in the Western District does not sufficiently refute the generalizations regarding crab size reached from the other evidence to indicate that the superior court's refusal to consider that evidence was an abuse of discretion.