Juneau, Alaska. August 22, 2008 – The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) and Food Network’s Alton Brown have joined forces to help clear up consumer confusion on what sustainability really is, and explain how this concept has guided the Alaska seafood industry for more than 50 years. The five-minute video can be viewed online at www.alaskaseafood.org.
 
Shot on location in the pristine wilds of Alaska, the video provides viewers with an insider’s look at one of the best-managed fisheries in the world. Viewers will learn about the many types of seafood harvested in Alaskan waters, the history of sustainability in Alaska and the important state, federal and international agencies that regulate all aspects of the Alaska seafood industry.
 
“Sustainability has been the cornerstone of Alaska's seafood industry for fifty years.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to help them tell that tale,” says Brown, host of Food Network’s Good Eats, Feasting on Asphalt and Iron Chef America. “Now, more than ever we need to understand how quality seafood makes it to our markets and ultimately onto our plates.”

Brown’s distinguished scientific style boils down the concepts that set Alaska’s fisheries apart, like science-based policy decisions, laws, enforcement, gear restrictions and in-season management. Brown even shows off his flair for the dramatic by cooking a colossal meal of Alaska king crab legs along with whole fillets of halibut, king and sockeye salmon, and cod over an outdoor grill.
 
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Alaska statehood.  The framers of the Alaska Constitution recognized the importance of protecting Alaska's abundant natural resources, and included in their landmark document a mandate that "fish...be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle." This dedication to sustainable management has resulted in an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets around the world. ASMI is a partnership of the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry, promoting Alaska Seafood in the U.S. and key overseas markets, and offering seafood industry education.
 

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Contact: Laura Fleming                                                      
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute                                
800/478.2903