asmi – Fishermens News

USDA Could Buy Up to $50M in Alaska Pollock

15Jan

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USDA Could Buy Up to $50M in Alaska Pollock

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is hailing a federal decision to purchase up to $50 million of Alaska pollock for food bank programs as a benefit to both hungry Americans and a fishing industry struggling with reduced demand and increased marketplace competition. “We all appreciate the quick response by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address the needs of the seafood industry, and at the same time food-insecure Americans, by committing to purchase what may be more than 15 million pounds of wild Alaska pollock products,” ASMI Global Food Aid Director Bruce Schactler said Jan. 8. The purchase of fillet portions, fish sticks and nuggets, he said, strengthens the nutrition profile of USDA offerings as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, while at the same...

ASMI Awarded $8.5M International Marketing Grant

8Jan

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ASMI Awarded $8.5M International Marketing Grant

A $8.5 million federal grant announced in mid-December is earmarked by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute to increase its international marketing efforts over the next five years. The funds come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service Regional Agricultural Program (RAPP). “We were pleasantly surprised,” ASMI Executive Director Jeremy Woodrow said. He announced receipt of the grant, which is specifically designed for marketing and trade efforts, on Dec. 19. Woodrow said the timing of the new federal funds is well-aligned with the Alaska seafood industry's needs to combat numerous global economic pressures. “While these funds will help ASMI grow our international efforts, they will also allow ASMI to direct additional state funds toward the...

Larger Volumes of Salmon, Pollock Have Potential for Revenue Increases in 2025

11Dec

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Larger Volumes of Salmon, Pollock Have Potential for Revenue Increases in 2025

2024 was not a recovery year for total ex-vessel value of Alaska’s seafood harvest, but the potential of greater harvests of salmon and pollock in 2025 could bring a revenue boost, even with static prices, according to a research consultant monitoring the state's fisheries. Potential larger volumes of the salmon and pollock are positive price signals, seafood economics consultant Sam Friedman of McKinley Research Group, said. Friedman presented the economic update on Dec. 3, during the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's annual “All Hands On Deck” gathering in Anchorage. Friedman factored in the impact on prices given the likelihood that the incoming Trump administration could impose heavy tariffs on imports from China, where a lot of Alaska seafood undergoes secondary processin...

ASMI Report Indicates Increasing Interest in Seafood Consumption

4Sep

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ASMI Report Indicates Increasing Interest in Seafood Consumption

A new domestic marketing report featuring food industry research by industry insights provider Technomic indicates increasing interest in seafood consumption by consumers dining out. The report, released Aug. 30 by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, states that according to Technomic, Alaska is the most appealing source for seafood at foodservice and is widely preferred over any other seafood. Technomic, with offices globally, has for the past five decades provided foodservice clients around the world with research and strategic consulting support used to enhance their business strategies and decisions. The online 2024 study drew from 1,000 nationally representative consumers, all of whom were required to eat at foodservice facilities at least once a week and eat fish or ...

ASMI, Holland America Partner on Seafood Education

15May

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ASMI, Holland America Partner on Seafood Education

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) has formed a partnership with Holland America Line to educate the cruise line’s employees on the species, benefits and responsible fishing practices of the Alaska fishing industry. Through the partnership, which was announced May 7, ASMI is offering the cruise line’s dining and galley staff a short online digital course on Alaska seafood species, health benefits, fishing methods and the state’s overall sustainability practices. The “Seafood U” training for Holland America Line’s culinary teams began earlier this year in advance of the cruise line’s 2024 Alaska season. Some 2,500 shipboard team members working on six ships are to undergo the training, according to ASMI. “With this new step, Holland America Line has committed to not ...

Seafood Economics Contributes $6B to Alaska’s Economy: ASMI Report

1May

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Seafood Economics Contributes $6B to Alaska’s Economy: ASMI Report

The seafood industry plays a critical role in the state’s economy, employing over 48,000 workers annually and contributing $6 billion to the state’s economy, according to a new report from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. “The economic benefits of the seafood industry are felt by all Alaskans,” said Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of ASMI, who released the 2024 update of “The Economic Value of Alaska’s Seafood Industry” report on April 24. Current global challenges notwithstanding, the variety and superior quality of products Alaska has to offer is unmatched, Woodrow said. “Research shows that consumers strongly prefer wild seafood to farmed, they want to add more sustainable seafood to their routines, and they place a high value on the health benefits of seafood,” h...

17Apr

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USDA Updates WIC Food Packages to Include More Seafood

Final changes to the new food packages for women, infants and children (WIC) approved by the Department of Agriculture include six ounces of canned fish to food packages for children ages 1-4 and allow canned light tuna, chub mackerel, salmon, sardines and Atlantic mackerel for children. The final changes announced April 9 also include the addition of 10 ounces of canned fish to food packages for pregnant and postpartum participants, and 15 ounces for partially breastfeeding participants. Amounts for fully breastfeeding participants has been adjusted from 30 to 20 ounces. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has advocated for inclusion of Alaska salmon in WIC food packages since 2014, called the updated program great news for America’s mothers and children. Alaska’s wild salmon is ...

ASMI’s Food Aid Program Reaches to Fill Domestic, International Needs

8Nov

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ASMI’s Food Aid Program Reaches to Fill Domestic, International Needs

Wild Alaska seafood sold by Alaska Seafood Marketing Association (ASMI) through its Global Food Aid Program now feeds millions of beneficiaries of federal and international food aid programs, and ASMI’s Bruce Schactler hopes to feed many more in 2024. “We are dealing with product development, new generations of people eating more seafood, and we are trying to distribute seafood to 30 million to 40 million people who have never eaten seafood before,” Schactler said in his report to ASMI’s All Hands on Deck conference in Anchorage on Nov. 2. Schactler, who leads the Global Food Air Program at ASMI, told the conference that through October the U.S. Department of Agriculture had purchased over $205 million in wild Alaska seafood. “Last year was a record year of purchasing seafood ...

RFM Program for Certified Seafood Recognized by GSSI

12Jul

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RFM Program for Certified Seafood Recognized by GSSI

A public-private partnership advocating for preserving oceans for future generations and more sustainable seafood has announced recognition of a Certified Seafood Collaborative (CSC) fisheries program. The CSC’s Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) program, based on version 2.0 of the Global Benchmark Tool, on June 30, became the first certification scheme to achieve Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) Initiative status. The partnership was cited for bringing together more than 100 partners worldwide for the common cause of turning seafood into a driver for good and attempting to preserve oceans for future generations, GSSI officials said. The RFM program was assessed and found to meet all 142 essential components, aligning them with the Food and Agriculture Organiz...

Tax Credit Program Extended for Seafood Processors

13Jul

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Tax Credit Program Extended for Seafood Processors

Legislation signed into law in early July extends the sunset date for an Alaska tax credit program for seafood processors that bring value-added product to market. The legislation sponsored by state Senator Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak) continues the tax credit for salmon and herring value-added products until Jan. 1, 2027, and also allows tax credits for products from other Alaska fish species. The program has been credited as a major reason for the boost in the commercial value of Alaska seafood since its inception as the Alaska Salmon Product Development Tax Credit in 2003. Data compiled by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the Pacific Seafood Processors Association concludes that $114.4 million in new revenue has been generated from the previous tax credit program. Stev...