Juneau, Alaska. January 16, 2008.  Seafood plays an important role in Lenten traditions, and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) makes it easier than ever to select and prepare wild Alaska seafood. ASMI has a number of tools available to aid and inspire you with Alaska seafood recipes and preparation tips.
 
Go online to www.alaskaseafood.org <http://www.alaskaseafood.org> to find harvesting information and nutritional profiles, search our collection of hundreds of recipes, view how-to videos and download Alaska seafood cooking demonstration podcasts. No time to thaw? No worries! At www.cookitfrozen.com <http://www.cookitfrozen.com>, learn how to easily and quickly prepare frozen wild Alaska seafood directly from your freezer – often in under thirty minutes – with ASMI’s exclusive Cook It Frozen!® techniques.  
 
Alaska contributes half of the nation’s commercial harvest of wild-caught seafood, and has something for everyone.  Alaska boasts five species of salmon: king, sockeye, coho, keta and pink. Alaska whitefish varieties include halibut, black cod (sablefish), Alaska Pollock, cod, sole/flounder and rockfish.  Alaska shellfish offerings include crab (king, snow and Dungeness), shrimp/spot prawns, oysters and weathervane scallops.
 
The possibilities are endless with Alaska seafood, available in a variety of forms including fresh, frozen, canned, pouched and smoked, and can be baked, broiled, sautéed, steamed, roasted, poached, grilled, or fried. Don’t forget to ask for Alaska at your local seafood counter or favorite restaurant this Lenten season.
 
Alaska’s long-standing tradition of stewardship makes it the model of sustainability for the world, and the perfect choice for Lent. All seafood from Alaska is wild and managed to protect and maintain the fisheries and the surrounding ecosystems for future generations.
 
Since acceptance into the Union in 1959, Alaska’s Constitution has mandated that “Fish…be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle.” This long-term dedication to sustainability has resulted in keeping the world stocked with a continuous, ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood. Alaska’s effective and precise fisheries management practices are considered a model for the world.
 
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is the State of Alaska’s official seafood marketing arm.  It is a public agency of the State of Alaska, funded by the Alaska seafood industry with support from state and federal funds.  ASMI promotes Alaska seafood throughout the U.S. and in 16 other countries.  ASMI also provides education and training to the seafood industry in food safety and quality assurance practices.  Please go to www.alaskaseafood.org <http://www.alaskaseafood.org>  for more information.

Contact: Laura Fleming
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
800/478.2903