Tag Archives: Alaska seafood

Alaska Seafood Sustainability

by on August 1, 2012 in Wild caught Alaska salmon

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The sustainable movement is sweeping across the world, and more and more people are taking interest.

But what does all this talk about sustainability really mean?

And what does your choice for dinner have on the world around you?

To start, all you have to do is visit Alaska…The last frontier in sustainability.

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If you’re like most people, you know Alaska for its snow-covered mountains, glaciers that date back millions of years, and the incredible green beauty in summertime. But the state is also the world model for sustainability – and maybe for government genius, too. That’s because Alaska is the only state with a mandate for sustainable seafood written right into its State Constitution.

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All told, Alaska supplies more than half of the wild-caught seafood in the United States. And Alaska will always be home to the greatest salmon runs in the world, providing as much as 95 percent of North America’s wild salmon.

What is sustainable seafood? It’s seafood that’s managed and fished using practices that ensure there will always be more to catch in the future.

The secret to Alaska’s success lies in two basic principles:

* Responsible fisheries management and sustainable fishing practices take
care not to harm the fish, other marine plants and animals, nor the
environment.
* Fish populations are never overfished. Overfishing happens when too many
fish are taken from the sea and there are not enough fish to replenish the
natural population.

Alaska boasts in having one of the worlds few governments that is truly dedicated to sustainability. It’s a commitment that dates all the way back to Alaska becoming a state in 1959, when Alaskan wrote sustainability into their Constitution-calling for fisheries to be sustainably managed in this way, Alaska promises to provide wild-caught and sustainable seafood for generations to come.

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What can you do to help. When it comes to selecting from a wide variety of healthy and delicious seafood options, Alaska has you covered. When you buy Alaska seafood, you are making a responsible and tasty choice that’s good for you-and supports sustainable seafood.

So next time you’re at your favorite restaurant or supermarket, be sure to ask your waiter or fishmonger where the seafood came from and how it was fished. Better yet, simply ask for Alaska, or look for the Alaska logo.

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For more information on sustainable fishing practices and Alaska seafood, please visit www.alaskaseafood.org

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7 Reasons To Ask For Alaska Seafood

by on April 25, 2012 in 7 Reasons to ask for Alaska Seafood

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WILD – Alaska seafood is wild caught! There is no finfish farming allowed in Alaska. The seafood is harvested in the wild, in the pristine waters off Alaska’s rugged 34,000 mile coastline.

NATURAL – Alaska Seafood is seafood at its natural best. Alaska boasts five species of salmon, shrimp, scallops, crab, and whitefish varieties that include pollock, halibut, Pacific cod, black cod, sole, and rockfish. They mature at a natural pace, swimming freely in the icy cold waters and eating a natural diet of marine organisms.

SUSTAINABLE – Alaska’s seafood is eco-friendly. Alaska’s abundant seafood species are part of healthy, intact ecosystems, and the fisheries are managed for sustainability. Ever since statehood in 1959, Alaska’s fisheries have been managed with the long term health of the stocks as top priority. This is mandated by the Constitution of the State of Alaska. Alaska’s healthy marine environment and sustainable fisheries management are a model for the world.

FLAVOR – The superior flavor and texture of Alaska seafood is prized around the world. They get their flavor and flesh color from their natural diet of marine organisms: in the case of salmon this includes krill and tiny crustaceans. Salmon migrate thousands of miles over the course of their lifetime, and all that exercise in cold water gives the fish a firm texture. Each of the five species – pink, keta, sockeye, coho, and king – has its own characteristics of color and flavor.

VERSATILE – Alaska seafood is easy to prepare. You can grill, poach, bake, sauté, and even take portions right from the freezer for cooking, putting a meal on the table in minutes.

HEALTHY – Alaska seafood is healthy and nutritious. It is high in protein, and low in saturated fat, and a natural source of the “good fats” – heart-healthy omega-3s.

U.S. JOBS for a HEALTHY ECONOMY – Over half the seafood harvested by American fishing families is harvested in the waters off Alaska. Although many of the families fish from small vessels, and the seafood is usually processed in small communities, the Alaska seafood industry is a major economic engine: it is Alaska’s largest private sector employer, providing work for 54,000 people, and worth an estimated $5.8 billion to Alaska in direct and induced economic output.

Please visit www.alaskaseafood.org for more interesting and important nutritional information, recipes and to learn more about Alaska seafood.

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