Recent news coverage of depleted salmon runs in California, Oregon and Washington may have left consumers thinking that all wild-caught salmon in North America are at risk. Not so! Alaska's successful fisheries management practices allow wild and sustainable Alaska salmon runs to return healthy and abundant, year after year. In fact, the 2009 salmon harvest is forecast to be almost 29 million fish over the 2008 harvest, and is predicted to be the 11th largest salmon harvest since 1960. Alaska's harvest represents 90-95% of the wild-caught salmon harvested in North America, and millions of wild Alaska salmon will be harvested this summer, mid-May through October (although troll-caught Alaska king salmon are harvested year-round), with each of the five salmon species in abundance.
Alaska celebrates its 50th anniversary of statehood this year, marking half a century of sustainable fisheries management. Recognizing the value and abundance of natural resources available in Alaska, the writers of the Alaska constitution mandated that "fish... be utilized, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle." To this day, Alaska remains the only state that has sustainability required by its constitution, and Alaska is recognized as a model of sustainability for the world.
Let's take a look at some of the facts:
- Alaska's efforts to protect fish stocks and ensure sustainability have led to highly productive and
consistently healthy harvests. This commitment to sustainability, enforced by the Alaska state
constitution, has demonstrated the effectiveness of strict, science-based, precautionary fisheries
management.
- In 2007 Alaska experienced the fourth largest sustainable salmon harvest in a century, with
over 212 million fish.
- No Alaska salmon or groundfish are classified as overfished, according to the latest "Report
on the Status of the U.S. Fisheries," published every year by the National Marine Fisheries
Service.
- According to a report in Nature magazine, nations around the world should adopt the voluntary Code
of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of
the United Nations in 1995.
- The article states: "The code provides a detailed consensus for the scientific, sustainable,
responsible and equitable exploitation of fishery resources."
- Long before the FAO code was even established, Alaska has held itself accountable to these same strict standards. Alaska's conformance to the FAO code is illustrated in the Sustainability Standards Comparison Chart, demonstrating that Alaska meets and exceeds all of the criteria.
- A special report printed in the January issue of The Economist suggests that nations should implement
a system of policies that include: quotas for all commercial species (each with a total allowable catch), strict enforcement of the rules and open access to all relevant information about landings, punishment for those who break the rules, and reliance on science. Alaska has implemented each of these measures, and the article points to Alaska as one of "the few places that enjoy a good reputation for looking after their fisheries."
As the salmon season approaches, it is important for operators to be equipped with information and resources to help educate customers on sustainable wild Alaska salmon. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) offers a host of Alaska salmon point-of-sale materials including posters, menu sheets, table tents, waitstaff buttons, and waitstaff tip cards. Training materials are also available, including
Wild Style: The Alaska Salmon Story, an online training program that includes several modules covering salmon harvesting methods, the different salmon species and seasonal availability, and information on Alaska's sustainable salmon management practices.
Alaska's dedication to sustainable seafood and precautionary management has become a model for the world for successful fisheries management.
Go to www.alaskaseafood.org/sustainability for more information.
Sources: Nature, "Commentary: Not Honouring the Code," February 2009; The Economist, "Troubled Waters: A Special Report on the Sea," January 3, 2009; Northern Economics, 2009; Perishables Group, 2008; "Report on the Status of the U.S. Fisheries," NMFS
