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The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute recently announced two additions to the seafood marketing team that represents the Alaska seafood industry.

Susan Marks was brought on board to oversee ASMI’s Sustainability program while Michael Kohan will head the seafood technical program.

Susan Marks (left) and Michael Kohan. ASMI photos.Marks joined ASMI as a sustainability consultant in July 2014 and has now been named Sustainability Director. She directs Alaska's Responsible Fisheries Management Certification program, ensuring that the best sustainable seafood practices are represented worldwide, and oversees RFM program marketing, outreach and communications.

Her career started with the Marine Stewardship Council where she promoted the use of the MSC ecolabel throughout the seafood supply chain and increased awareness of the MSC program in the North American market. She later joined the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program as Senior Partnership Manager. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Washington State University and is a Seattle native.

“Susan has already proven herself to be a valuable member of the ASMI team and we look forward to working with her to support the Alaska seafood industry’s sustainability messaging,” said ASMI Executive Director Alexa Tonkovich.

Kohan comes to ASMI from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Southeast Alaska where she worked as a wildlife biologist.   She holds an M.S. in Fisheries from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she studied the variation in abundance and condition of juvenile chum salmon in response to marine factors in Southeast Alaska.   She previously worked as a research contractor with NOAA.

Kohan will work with the ASMI Technical committee, composed of industry seafood experts, and work closely with ASMI marketing staff in matters of health, food safety, nutrition, contaminants and other issues that affect Alaska Seafood products in the market place

“Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and skills that will serve the Alaska Seafood industry very well filling a position that is critical to the industry,” said Tonkovich.

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Samuel Hill is the former associate editor for National Fisherman. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine where he got his start in journalism at the campus’ newspaper, the Free Press. He has also written for the Bangor Daily News, the Outline, Motherboard and other publications about technology and culture.

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