FOR RELEASE: ASMI Releases “Strong at Sea” Collection
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2020
CONTACT: ASMI – Ashley Heimbigner, 907-465-5562, [email protected]
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute will celebrate Women’s History Month (March) and International Women’s Day (March 6) by releasing the “Strong At Sea” collection. “Strong At Sea” is a set of photographs, audio interviews and video graphics that investigate and celebrate the hard-working women of Alaska’s commercial fishing fleet.
Noted Alaskan documentary photographer Ash Adams spent weeks on women-owned fishing boats in Copper River and Prince William Sound in June 2019, documenting the work and lives of the women harvesters on board. Some stories capture the experiences of women who fish alone, in solitary pursuit of fish and freedom, while others depict the camaraderie of women who fish together on boats. From inspired to exhausted, these female fishermen represent the heart and soul of Alaska’s commercial fleet: hard-working, thoughtful and deeply connected to the ocean that shares their livelihood.
In February, a new federal study was released, examining women’s participation in Alaska’s commercial fisheries. “Women are really important players in Alaska’s commercial fisheries. They’re key in contributing to family adaptability and in turn to community resilience,” said Marysia Szymkowiak, the scientist who conducted the Alaska Fisheries Science Center study. “Knowing how women participate directly in fishing and within fishing families and communities is critical to predicting and understanding responses to fishery changes—from individuals, to families, all the way up to communities.”
This project has helped fulfill Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s mission of increasing positive awareness of the Alaska Seafood brand by telling the stories of those who bring Alaska’s incredible seafood to market. ASMI will expand this campaign to highlight other fisheries around the state. “Strong At Sea” biographies can be found at https://www.alaskaseafood.org/alaska-seafood-101/people-behind-the-fish/, or at this YouTube playlist.
About Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute:
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is a partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry promoting the benefits of wild and sustainable Alaska seafood and offering seafood industry education. The seafood industry is Alaska’s largest basic private sector employer with nearly 60 percent of all wild seafood and 90-95 percent of wild salmon harvested in the U.S. coming from Alaska. In addition to wild salmon, Alaska is known for its crab and whitefish varieties such as Pacific cod, sablefish, halibut, Alaska pollock, sole and rockfish – available fresh or frozen year-round. Alaska has been dedicated to sustainable seafood for more than 50 years and is the only state with a constitution that mandates all seafood be managed under the sustained yield principle. Alaska has taken a leadership role in setting the global standard for precautionary resource management to protect fisheries and surrounding habitats for future generations and leading to an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets worldwide.
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