Alaska’s seafood exports jumped 35 percent in value in 2011 to $2.5 billion, and in 2012 the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is on a mission to sell even more seafood in Asia, Europe and South America.
To that end, ASMI has earmarked about half of its annual budget, some $8.5 million, on a cross section of activities ranging from international trade shows to studying traditional and emerging markets in some 17 countries, and educating wholesale and retail buyers about the value of its responsible fisheries management certification program for Alaska fisheries.
While Japan is still the single biggest direct market for wild Alaska seafood, ASMI is trying to balance the effort in Europe with effort in China and Japan and an emerging market in Brazil for a nice market mix, says Ray Ruitta, executive director of ASMI.
ASMI has also been meeting with major retail chains, non-government organizations and others to explain to them in detail how ASMI’s choice of Global Trust as the certifying body for sustainability of Alaska seafoods works to assure the sustainably managed fisheries mandated by Alaska’s constitution.
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