 Alaska Seafood Newsbrief ASMI E-Newsletter for the Alaska Seafood Industry
February 9 , 2006
In this issue:
Message from the Executive Director We have been busy preparing for the board and committee chair's meeting next week and answering questions about the ASMI $2.3M increment in the Governor's budget. So far, so good with the Legislature; we have briefed the House Finance subcommittee and received a good reception. We have a good story to tell about the increased value of the Alaska seafood harvest over the last several years, especially for salmon, which is playing well. Just wrapping up a major promotion in January targeted at "center of the store" customers. The ASMI Board and Committee chairs will meet on 15 and 16 February in Juneau to plan our Fiscal Year 2007 budget and consumer marketing activities. Briefing books have gone out to the committee chairs and board members. Last week the International Marketing Committee met in Seattle and set priorities for overseas marketing activities to be approved at the upcoming board meeting. If your travels bring you to Juneau next week stop in at the board meeting, which is open to the public. We will be at the Baranof Hotel. Congratulations to the winners of the Symphony of Seafood. The Symphony is run by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation and showcases new and exciting products from our industry. ASMI is a regular sponsor See you over the next swell. Ray Riutta |
Big Buzz at Seafood Summit: Wal-Mart Embracing Sustainable Fish Target At the Seafood Summit hosted by Seafood Choices Alliance in Seattle last week, there was much discussion of sustainability in seafood purchasing. During the conference the Marine Stewardship Council made a press statement publicly recognizing Wal-Mart for making a commitment to sustainable seafood procurement. In subsequent news stories there have been a couple of different interpretations of the scope of the announcement, such as whether it included value-added items, branded items, etc. The latest press release from Wal-Mart refers to purchasing all fresh and frozen wild-caught seafood for its North American stores from MSC-certified fisheries within the next three to five years. |
Alaska Symphony of Seafood Winners Announced The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation announced the winners of the 2006 Alaska Symphony of Seafood. To see a list of winners, please click here to visit the event website. Hats off to all the products and companies that placed in the event, from Grand Prize-winning Morey’s Marinated Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon (also first in the retail category, produced by Morey’s Seafoods International) to the Anchorage People’s Choice Award winner, Ray’s Gourmet Smoked Yukon King Salmon (produced by Boreal Fisheries). Check out the press release to see the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place rankings in retail, foodservice and smoked categories, as well as People’s Choice for Las Vegas and Anchorage events. In addition to many creative dishes made with salmon (such as Ocean Beauty’s Sea Choice Herb Crusted Salmon Burger, and Horsts Seafood’s “Mexican Style” Wild Alaska Salmon) more whitefish varieties are making their debut than ever before, including Trident’s Ultimate Fish Stick (made with pollock fillets), and Smoked Sweet Chili Sablefish Tenderloin (Prowler Fisheries, LLC and Tom Douglas’ Kitchen). |
Spanish Language Radio Spots: Viva Salmon Silvestre Enlatado! The “center of the store” campaign to promote Alaska canned salmon in U.S. traditional and emerging Hispanic markets is just wrapping up. Radio advertisements in Spanish featured a mother introducing sandwiches made with Alaska canned salmon to her child, and emphasizing health benefits, and noting to look for Alaska on the lid. Hear the ad and read the translation. |
Regional Marketing Update: Websites up for RSDAs The internet is a cost-effective tool to help inform certain commercial fishing permit holders about the upcoming elections on formation of Regional Seafood Development Authorities, and on the proposals allowing the groups to raise revenue for regional marketing through a self-imposed tax on the harvest. A new website has been launched by Southeast Alaska Rainforest Wild: http://www.rain forestwild.org to provide information to harvesters in the Southeast region up through Yakutat. Bristol Bay has also launched a website: http://www.bbrsda.com. |
Alaska Seafood on Center Stage with Chef Mike Monahan in Twin Cities Chef Mike Monahan doesn’t need a script to talk about Alaska Seafood. Whether he is talking to a small crowd at a supermarket aisle cooking demonstration, or addressing a large audience from a cooking stage he can draw from his deep knowledge about Alaska Seafood, explaining not only how to season and prepare it, but also sharing information about its Alaska origin, how it is pure and natural. Chef Mike is on the front lines of ASMI’s consumer campaigns, and this month he will be showcasing Alaska Seafood on the cooking stage at the Twin Cities Food and Wine Experience. Click here for more about Chef Mike Monahan. |
Big Boston is Right Around the Corner Mark your calendar for the International Boston Seafood Show, and be sure to come by and visit at ASMI booth #528. We’ll also participate in the panel “Whether Wild or Farmed --- How Do You Grow the Salmon Category?” (Ray Riutta of ASMI, Janice Brown of Urner Barry, Alex Trent of Salmon of the Americas, moderated by Howard M. Johnson). Also, for the Alaska Seafood industry and its clients, the State of Alaska is organizing an invitation only event: Go Wild Alaska Style: Boston 2006 at the Seaport Hotel next to the convention center. |
National Fisherman Welcomes Alaska delegation The Alaska delegation that called on the National Fisherman editor and publisher Jerry Fraser in late January received a warm reception. Mike Lodato, Vice President of the Commercial Marine Division of parent company Diversified Business Communications also attended. The company formerly published the Alaska Fisherman’s Journal and, after 25 years of publication, folded it into National Fisherman. National Fisherman pledged its commitment to provide a vital forum for dissemination of information to Alaska commercial fishermen, and policy makers. Thanks to Alaska fishing industry representatives Joe Childers, Sam Cotten, Duncan Fields, and Eric Olson for a successful media relations mission, as well as to Denby Lloyd (ADF&G Commercial Fisheries Director) and Glenn Haight (Dept. of Commerce, Fisheries Development Director). Registration Open for Seafood Processors Workshop The Food Products Association Center for Northwest Seafood in Seattle is organizing the Sixty-eighth Annual Seafood Processors Workshop at the Swedish Cultural Center in Seattle on Friday, March 17. Cory Bell has more information: cbell@fpa-food.org. Click here for the agenda and registration form for the luncheon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
phone: 1-800-478-2903
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|