Home / News / UFA and ASMI host Market Outlook Webinar – Recording and Resources Now Available

UFA and ASMI host Market Outlook Webinar – Recording and Resources Now Available

June 8, 2026 | Activities & Promotions, Market Information

An invitation to a virtual event that reads:

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) collaborated with longtime partner United Fisherman of Alaska (UFA) to host the 2026 market outlook webinar.

Recording of the webinar and resources are found below:

McKinley Research Group (MRG) presented their most recent research on the Alaska seafood industry, and ASMI gave an overview of resources available to fisherman.

Alaska Seafood Market Overview and Outlooks

MRG provided a comprehensive update on the Alaska seafood market, including global competition, trade policies, currency impacts, export values, operating costs, and species-specific outlooks. Below are some highlights from the presentation:

Tariffs and Trade Policies:

U.S. tariffs on seafood have increased since 2018, affecting processed imports and offering a competitive edge for domestic Alaska seafood.
Tariff policies are expected to persist, with recent changes replacing IEEPA tariffs with temporary trade act tariffs.
Retaliatory tariffs in major markets can reduce Alaska seafood competitiveness, though most partners haven’t retaliated on seafood.

U.S. and Russia Seafood Trade Relations:

Russian bans on U.S. seafood began in 2014 and have extended through 2027, impacting market dynamics.
Sanctions related to geopolitical conflicts have limited Russian seafood imports into the U.S. and vice versa.

Ex-Vessel Value and Operating Costs

Alaska seafood ex-vessel value was approximately $2.67 billion in 2025, 25% higher than 2024.
Marine diesel costs in Alaska ports have increased, impacting operating expenses for fishermen and processors.

Prices are influenced by harvest forecasts, inventory levels, competing species supply, demand, and processor market share.

MRG will also provide salmon harvest outlooks throughout the season. They will be available on the ASMI website or users can sign up to receive direct emails by emailing Simon Marks.

ASMI Highlights

Greg Smith, ASMI communications director, provided an overview of ASMI’s financial impact, promotional efforts, and industry support.

Impacts and Value of Alaska Seafood

In 2023, Alaska seafood generated an additional $464 million in value through premium pricing, promotions, food aid sales and more.
In FY2024, ASMI generated over 12 billion media impressions and 115 million social media impressions.
Food aid sales supported by ASMI totaled $173 million in 2023-2024.

ASMI Elevates the Industry

Without ASMI, demand and awareness for Alaska seafood would decline, reducing revenues.
Lower promotion levels could lead to excess inventory and decreased ex-vessel prices.
The industry might face significant revenue losses, impacting fishermen’s earnings.
Consumers prefer Alaska seafood over other options by a wide margin.

ASMI Resources Built for Harvesters

ASMI provides industry news and updates like market information, bi-annual economic impact report, monthly updates on ASMI activities, and a yearly newsletter mailed to the fleet.

Training and technical resources are available online – including quality handling videos, posters, and materials, an up-to-date nutritional database, and fact sheets.
Free promotional materials and access to a digital photo and video library (web link) is available for all industry members.

To see ASMI resources specific to harvesters, please see https://www.alaskaseafood.org/industry/fishermen-resources/. All fisherman, seafood industry members and Alaska Seafood supporters are invited to participate in ASMI’s new fisherman ambassador program – help ASMI promote Alaska Seafood in Alaska by delivering an Alaska Seafood window cling to local businesses. Learn more and get involved here (web link).

A Proud Partnership

ASMI is proud to partner with groups like UFA to ensure the Alaska fleet is being engaged at all levels. Elevating fisherman’s needs and providing fishermen with marketing resources is critical to ASMI’s mission of supporting industry collaboration.