Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's (ASMI) efforts played a big role in the $464 million increase in the value of Alaska seafood in 2023, including domestic and international focuses on retail and foodservice promotions.
"Without ASMI, the industry in general would likely have to offset hundreds of millions of dollars in lower wholesale revenues, which would need to come out of ex-vessel payments to fishermen," seafood economist Andy Wink told participants in ASMI's annual All Hands-On Deck conference in Anchorage on Nov. 6.
Wink noted that ASMI's value extends beyond price premiums, with $68 in seafood sales generated for every marketing dollar spent by ASMI, and that foodservice or restaurant partners contributed $55 in co-op advertising funds for every $1 invested by ASMI.
Over the past two decades, ASMI efforts supported over $1 billion in Alaska seafood purchases for federal food aid programs at a cost of less than $6 million, he said. ASMI has also captured over $40 million in competitive federal grants since 2020, nearly matching the $44 million generated by the industry assessment and state of Alaska funding during that timeframe.
Value calculations for these efforts in 2023 include $92 million in seafood sales to food aid programs and $53 million in additional sales driven by global retail and foodservice promotions.
"In 2024, sales of 2023-24 really helped clear out the excess inventory of canned salmon," said Nina Schlossman, a global nutrition and food aid consultant who has been working with the Alaska seafood industry for the past 20 years. "This year we helped the wild Alaska pollock sector move 61 million pounds of fillets, blocks, fish sticks, and fish nuggets valued at $142.5 million into food banks, schools, and other nutrition programs."
"Increasing the value of the Alaska seafood resource is ASMI's mission," said Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of ASMI. "The value added by enhancing the Alaska seafood brand supports fishermen and their families, processors, and Alaska communities. Alaska seafood is one of the most distinguished global seafood brands.
"That reputation isn't an accident," Woodrow said. "It's the result of decades dedicated by fishermen, processors, and everyone in the Alaska seafood industry to elevating the brand through improving quality and telling our story. Consumers are showing us it matters, and that they're willing to pay more for Alaska seafood."
“While many factors played into the price premiums for Alaska species, marketing by ASMI and Alaska processors is definitely a key driver,” said Wink.
Chris DeBois, a presenter with the market research firm Circana, spoke about consumer shifts at retail levels, including protein demand and seafood growth.
Total seafood growth at the retail level is now led by delicatessen prepared seafood, but there has also been minimal growth in sales of refrigerated and frozen finfish and shellfish, sushi, and shelf-stable seafood. Prepared seafood from delicatessens is emerging as the next frontier with double-digit growth in deli seafood trays and entrees across nearly every region of the U.S., he said.
DeBois noted that while working from home will be a permanent fixture in the nation's workplace routines, a moderate rise in commuting to the workplace is creating demand for convenient on-the-go meal solutions. Consumer demand for protein remains high, and home dining is on the rise as families seek affordability and healthier options, choosing home-cooked meals over restaurant outings, he noted in his presentation. Consumers are facing 30 percent and higher food and beverage prices compared to 2019, and wages have not kept up, with coffee, meat, and other commodity-linked categories showing the highest price growth.
Meanwhile, the overall number of processing workers, crew members, and commercial fishing license holders in Alaska fisheries saw a steady decline from 2019 through 2024, said Sam Friedman, senior consultant with McKinley Research Group. Federal and state labor statistical data show that the number of commercial fishing license holders fell from 6,038 to 4,342, the number of crew members from 16,402 to 11,788, and the number of processing workers from 25,351 to 19,483.
U.S. tariffs on seafood imports rose rapidly in 2025, with Chile now second to China in the amount of calculated seafood duties paid to the U.S. government. Re-imported Alaska products are now subject to some tariffs, he said. Meanwhile, among the largest markets, so far only China and Canada have imposed retaliatory tariffs that affect seafood, Friedman said.
